VisualSparks

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧`𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? When I started doing sketchnotes I felt like I had to always do new visuals that couldn't be repeated. But then I started imagining what would it be like to combine elements of classic PowerPoint with visuals like tables or diagrams? Also sometimes we can simply repeat objects, reiterate them, stack them, collect them in sets, or change the color. This requires a little bit of imagination but minimal visual effort. Let me explain. See the image below. In this visual I tried to explain the difference between learning sometime ago (before everybody had a personal computer and a smartphone) and today. I combined a classic diagram of 2 colums, but instead of figures or bars, I used books. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐲? Before, the way we had to learn was linear which meant that there was a time to study and learn in our young years that determined our professional future and in the following years little learning took place. Today we have self directed and non linear learning, because information is available 24/7 to everybody which means we learn all life long. If you look closely you will see that basically there is only one visual (the book), what is repeating in the two columns.So you see, I use the repetition to express "amount". You can do the same using balls, squares, people or any other simple object. My advice for this kind of visual: Use one visual for one single idea. If you struggle with the visual, maybe you are trying to put more than one idea. Too much information or too complicated information will ruin the message. Keep it simple! If this is the case, try to split it into 2 ideas or more and create separate visuals for each. You can show them together as an image carrousel if they belong together.

Consistent use of Sketchnotes in your marketing materials, posts or presentations helps establish a unique and recognizable brand identity. (remember, we all have a "personal brand"). This visual consistency can make your business stand out in a crowded market, attracting more clients who resonate with your brand’s aesthetic and values. Some ideas on how to create this visual consistency could be to use visuals on your website if you have one, on your blog, on your podcast, of course on your social media, even in your emails if you write a newsletter, in your presentations or just use them in your live meetings. What other ideas do you have?

When I first started sketchnoting, reducing complexity was a major challenge. I often added too much text, overcomplicating the message. Have you experienced this too? Especially with "evergreen" topics, it takes time to iterate and find the right balance. The key question is: what is the minimum visual + text needed to convey the full message? Here is an example. I wanted to show the difference between "working in a team" and "teamwork." Initially, I had much more text, but then I asked myself: what can be reduced or even eliminated? So I replaced text with visuals, by using the red color to signify connection. After finishing, I realized some text was still unnecessary, but at some point, I had to decide when it's done. When making visuals: what can you leave out, simplify, or translate into visuals? It's also helpful to get feedback from others.

If you have a brand, you need to have a social media presence. And if you are a professional presence, then more so on LinkedIn. And you don't need to be an entrepreneur, because we all have a personal brand and we're actually "selling" ourselves all the time. So it's not that you use sketchnotes to sell something, but simply using them to communicate what you do, what motivates you, your reason for being. To create your personal brand. Sharing Sketchnotes on social media can significantly boost your visibility. These visually appealing and easy-to-understand graphics attract more engagement, helping your posts stand out and reach a broader audience. This can drive more traffic to your business and generate interest in your services or profesional reputation. Who knows, maybe one sketchnote brings you to your next job or assignment!!

Sketchnotes and visualization is a bit of a science of simplifying the complex without taking away depth, which seems like a paradox. I put it to you with an example. Just look at this visual. I tell you it went viral on LinkedIn. It got more than 2,400 likes. And it's simply two images that are actually the same but inverted. And only two words. In the art of simplifying the complex, it is necessary to invest some time in thinking about what I can take away, what is really essential, and it seems that the less or simpler a message is, the more impacting it is. I leave it there. Tell me what you think. 

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔? Well, sketchnotes have different kind of elements that can be combined in many possible ways to create a new meaning each time. 🛠️ So you can combine elements like icons, people, titles, or text boxes. 🔄 You can reuse and repurpose them for other sketchnotes or different content. 🎨 You can change the color, size, and create many possible combinations. To be able to do this it is important that you learn to make sketches in a structured process and learn to know the different elements. You don't have to be a good drawer at all. And then later, once you have the tools, that's when you combine creativity with tools. If you are interested, check out my website where I offer courses where you learn specifically this. 

Once you learn how to create Sketchnotes, you can use them to clearly present your ideas during coaching and consulting. Visuals help simplify complex concepts, making them easier for your clients to understand and remember. This not only improves their learning but also boosts their trust in your expertise. One of my clients Pranali Lute, Coach and Consultant says: "𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦/𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱. 𝘚𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺."

To show you one of the things you can do with Sketchnotes, here's one where I tell you a little bit about myself. It is not just superfun but an eye catcher. Do you want to try it out? Start with some questions first and once you have answered them, try to find appropiate visuals. I am curious to see what ideas you have. 🔍 What defines you? What do you go out of your way for? 🎯 What is your mission? ❤️ What do you love to do? 🤝 How are you helping your clients or your audience? 💡 Even if you're working for a company, what idea can you come up with to put this into visuals?

Consistently sharing high-quality Sketchnotes on social media can position you as an expert in your field. And the best, you don`t have to draw perfectly. The idea is what matters most. Execution is a skill that you can train. This helps build credibility and trust with your audience, making them more likely to turn to you for professional advice and services.

Hi, I'm María Luisa, I'm a corporate consultant and I love painting and drawing. And for the last few years I have been creatings tons of visuals, sketchnotes adn infographics and teaching professionals like you to create their own visuals.  If you have something to say, for example you have a team, you are a consultant, or have your own brand, you need to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Sketchnotes are just an ideal tool. Not only are they a lot of fun, but they allow you to develop creativity and save time by explaining complex things in a much simpler way. Last year I release 4 sketchnotes books on business topics. It was not planned. It just happend because I had enough material and someone gave the idea. And this kind of magic can happen to you when you just start exploring how you can translate your messages into visuals.