How do you use data to create emotional impact and connection with your audience?

Data is a powerful tool for presentations, but it can also be boring and confusing if not presented well. How do you use data to create emotional impact and connection with your audience? In this article, you will learn some tips and tricks to use data and visuals for audience engagement in the context of presentations.

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1 Choose the right data

The first step is to choose the right data for your presentation. You want to use data that supports your main message, that is relevant and interesting for your audience, and that is easy to understand and interpret. Avoid using too much data, or data that is irrelevant, outdated, or misleading. You can use data from credible sources, such as research reports, surveys, or case studies, and make sure to cite them properly.

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2 Visualize your data

The second step is to visualize your data in a way that makes it more engaging and memorable. You can use charts, graphs, maps, icons, or images to show your data in a visual form. You want to use visuals that are clear, simple, and consistent, and that highlight the key points or trends in your data. Avoid using visuals that are cluttered, confusing, or distracting, or that distort or misrepresent your data. You can use tools like PowerPoint, Canva, or Infogram to create your visuals.

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Alana Variano

Principal Product Manager @ LinkedIn 👩💻 | Board Member 🍊 | GenAI Nerd 🤓
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The most important aspect of the visualization aspect of a presentation is: 1) Audience: who is reading/watching your presentation 2) Format: if you'll be speaking to it, or if it will be consumed by reading and 3) Goals: is it for training, sales, alignment, or updates? These three elements will determine if you should link out to additional data sources/spreadsheets/dashboards, or if you can visually keep it simple, and keep the details in the appendix. I've found it best to start with a simple outline before building the deck, which helps organize thoughts and get alignment.

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3 Tell a story with your data

The third step is to tell a story with your data. You want to use data to create a narrative that connects with your audience's emotions, values, and goals. You can use data to show a problem, a solution, a benefit, or a change, and to illustrate how your data relates to your audience's situation, needs, or interests. You can use techniques like storytelling, storytelling, or storytelling to make your data more compelling and persuasive. You can use words, voice, or gestures to emphasize your data and to create contrast, suspense, or surprise.

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Niels Schipper

Account Director | LinkedIn Talent Solutions | Find, Develop, and Retain Talent
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Data without a story lacks impact. To effectively communicate your data, you need to craft a compelling story that resonates with your audience. Only include the most relevant data in your story to avoid overwhelming your audience with information. Two good frameworks for incorporating data into a story are: - STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result - Feel, Felt, Found method: Acknowledge how the audience feels and that others felt the same. Explain how others found X benefits by doing Y. Remember to always tie your story back to the data points that matter most to your audience. Ideally, you should have already identified these points through previous conversations.

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4 Interact with your audience

The fourth step is to interact with your audience with your data. You want to use data to invite your audience to participate, to ask questions, to share feedback, or to take action. You can use data to create polls, quizzes, games, or challenges, and to encourage your audience to share their own data, stories, or opinions. You can use tools like Mentimeter, Kahoot, or Slido to create interactive data activities. You can also use data to show appreciation, recognition, or gratitude to your audience.

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5 Review and refine your data

The fifth step is to review and refine your data before and after your presentation. You want to use data that is accurate, reliable, and up-to-date, and that matches your presentation goals, objectives, and outcomes. You can use data to evaluate your presentation performance, to measure your audience satisfaction, to identify areas of improvement, or to follow up with your audience. You can use tools like Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, or Mailchimp to collect and analyze your data.

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6 Learn from the best

The sixth and final step is to learn from the best examples of data and visuals for audience engagement in the context of presentations. You can use data to inspire, inform, or entertain your audience, and to create a lasting impression. You can look for examples of data and visuals from TED talks, SlideShare, or YouTube, and to analyze how they use data and visuals to create emotional impact and connection with their audience. You can also look for feedback, reviews, or comments from your audience or peers, and to learn from their insights, suggestions, or compliments.

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How do you use data to create emotional impact and connection with your audience?

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2

3

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1 Choose the right data

2 Visualize your data

3 Tell a story with your data

4 Interact with your audience

5 Review and refine your data

6 Learn from the best

Presentations

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How do you use data to create emotional impact and connection with your audience?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Choose the right data

2 Visualize your data

3 Tell a story with your data

4 Interact with your audience

5 Review and refine your data

6 Learn from the best

Presentations

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