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Using visual aids to Elevate Your Keynote Presentation

Have you ever been in a conference and tried to listen to a speaker which had behind him/her, slides with thousands of words?? Not the best right?? I have often experienced this with sponsors, who have a slot as part of the conference package and unfortunately totally miss the opportunity to be in front of their target audience and get them intrigued to know more. Instead, people disconnect, they don’t even try to look at the slides and their head automatically go for their Facebook feed!!

When you are presenting in front of an audience, it is your chance to convey your message, inspire people to take action, leave them with a transformation idea and a lasting impression. You could very well present on a big stage and not have anything behind you, just you and the stage, I have experienced a speaker this year in Paris at Elevate 2023, Thierry Watelet, who just gave us an incredible lesson of elocution. It was him and us, nothing else mattered, we were taken into his storytelling. No décor, no visual aid, no props were needed, it was all about his charisma.

However, most professional keynote speakers nowadays use visual aids to enhance their overall presentation. I talked about your Speaker/EMCEE Journey Mapping a few weeks ago, and visual aids is one of those important steps, using slides, images, graphs, and videos, can provide an additional layer of engagement, comprehension, and retention for the audience. It is used as a real support to a keynote speaker’s message.

Remember, we all learn in different ways, VAK, is a great way to remember, it stands for visual, auditory and kinesthetic: Visual: learners respond to images and graphics. Auditory: learners prefer verbal presentations. Kinesthetic: learners prefer a physical, hands-on approach., we need. Using all 3 methods in a presentation is key to engagement. Here are my 5 top reasons why you should take a lot of care when crating your usual aids with this in mind:

1. Captivating Attention:

With the amount of information we are receiving today, capturing and maintaining your audience’s attention is crucial. Visual aids serve as attention-grabbing tools. Well-designed slides with compelling visuals, specific typography, and minimal text can instantly captivate the audience and create a visually stimulating environment. Engaging images, relevant videos, and concise infographics can pique curiosity, evoke emotions, and set the stage for an impactful presentation.

2. Aligning Visuals with Key Points:

To maximize the effectiveness of your visual aids, align them closely with your key points and main ideas. For me, each slide is a trigger to remind me of what I need to say next, it’s a direct support which reinforce the message I am conveying. Avoid overcrowding slides with excessive text; instead, focus on using images, graphs, or diagrams that visually represent your concepts and grab your audience’s attention. K.I.S.S at all time, keep it simple stupid, is the best way to keep it clear, and memorable.

3. Organizing Complex Information:

Some topics can be complex, to say the least!! So it is the responsibility of the speaker to simplify and clarify them for the audience. Visual aids provide a means to break down intricate concepts and present them in a more digestible format, that all will understand. Diagrams, flowcharts, and graphs can visually represent complex data, relationships, and processes, enabling the audience to grasp and retain information more effectively. By simplifying complex information, visual aids make the presentation more accessible to a wider range of audience

4. Enhancing Visual Appeal:

Aesthetics play a crucial role in holding the audience’s attention and creating a positive impression. Well-designed visual aids with consistent branding, appropriate color schemes, and visually pleasing layouts contribute to the overall visual appeal of the presentation. Thoughtful use of visuals can add a layer of professionalism, making the speaker’s message more credible and persuasive. By leveraging visual aids to create a visually cohesive and attractive presentation, the keynote speaker can leave a lasting impression on the audience.

5. Using Engaging Multimedia:

Leverage the power of multimedia to create an engaging and dynamic presentation. Incorporate relevant videos, animations, or interactive elements to illustrate your points effectively. Videos can provide real-life examples, demonstrate processes, and evoke emotions, while animations can add visual interest and help break down complex ideas. Remember to keep it simple too, and to use multimedia to purposefully enhance your presentation, rather than overpower it.

As a speaker you have to be very consistent with your message, the word you used, the colour scheme, typography, and branding elements throughout your slides the feel you give your presentation, visual design is essential for a polished presentation.

The visual coherence will create a sense of unity and professionalism, supporting and elevating you as a professional keynote speaker. The strategic use of visual aids can transform a keynote presentation from an ordinary talk into an extraordinary experience. By captivating attention, reinforcing key points, organizing complex information, creating visual analogies, and enhancing visual appeal, visual aids play a super important role in supporting your message, increasing audience engagement and understanding, ensuring a successful delivery and leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Need some help with creating incredible Visual Aids?? I have two suggestions:

  1. Do it yourself, the fabulous Renee has created an online course called: Think RAPT® is an award-winning pitching and proposal system using Visual Models.
  2. Somethimes DIY isn’t as easy as it looks, and you may want someone to do this for you, so then you have to connect with Marion Guéneau founder of Morph and More mention my name and let her work her magic creating for you an EMpowerpoint to gain impact and stand out…
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As I want to give and share some of that wisdom and help you live your best life too, without waiting to be 50!! I have decided to celebrate my birthday and give you something… I am giving away 50 FREE, 50mins, ‘Pick My Brain’, coachsulting session… so BOOK your one-to-one session with me and together let’s get you growing and shining.