Verbal Graphics & Visual Graphics - Honing Your Inner Storyteller

Posted on March 13, 2007 by Charles Perez

I love my job!

I get to meet attorneys who have to perform “stand up” on a regular basis to an audience whose approval they seek with material that is about as exciting as a wet newspaper.

Tough crowds - boring topics. Yet still they show up for appearance after appearance before a captive group of poorly paid and sometimes angry critics - many of whom are striving to look interested in the schtick  the attorney's hawking.

When I’m consulted to prepare a presentation for a first- time client I begin by stressing that we need to play to the lowest common denominator in our "audience". The facts need to “speak for themselves in short order";  it’s like telling a joke – if you have to explain it, you’ve lost any impact as well as the impression you were striving for.

Good litigators are where they are because they possess the gift of verbal presentation – they are storytellers by necessity.  I create the graphic extension to their story, but I’m careful not to become the story. Their story must “flow” naturally – the graphic must “feel" like it “belongs to the story.”

Our company has the ability to create stunning visuals, flashy titles and mind-boggling animations. Our clients’ eyes beam at the simplest effect – like they’re watching “Star Wars” for the first time.

Luckily, common sense prevails as I reign in the cowboys and we simplify, simplify, simplify the message until we’re left with ”just the facts ma’am.”

Just because we can create it doesn’t mean it’s going to work; by this I mean it’s too easy to overwhelm the message with the medium. You don’t want your audience to be dazzled with the mechanics of the presentation and completely overlook the message.

So, let me offer a few basic pointers for you first-timers dealing with projected images:

1.  Hone your message to complement your visual(s) . Your graphic should make a statement that needs a minimum of explanation - it may be necessary to build your images as you speak, if so, try to make an even, yet noticeable  transition between views.

2. Practice your delivery in front of a 7th or 8th grader. Do they understand  your message?  Seriously, if they can't figure out what your saying why would you expect a juror to grasp your message?

3. Set up your presentation quickly and quietly. We typically set up right before the trial begins or during a break.  We’ve got the process down to about 10-12 minutes. Everything is done at a matter-of-fact pace with very little conversation. The key, I think, is to make the presentation look as much like an “everyday event” as possible.

4.  Before launching into your spellbinding visual presentation, practice a little NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).  Explain to the "audience"  what you’re going to present – prepare their minds for the presentation - briefly explain the purpose of the image(s) you’re about to present. (Set the stage). Don’t make a big production about it – remember, this is an extension of your story – the illustrated part.

5. Keep the graphics conservative. I can’t stress this enough. You’re not going for an Academy Award – you’re trying to make a point.   

6. Don’t read your screen to the "audience" – they can do that for themselves. Instead qualify why this graphic is important – reinforce the message with “Triggers”; short phrases that relate to the graphic so it creates a memorable impact.

7. Present to your "audience", not to the screen. Make the story flow. Be sure to practice with your presenter so that the story remains seamless and natural.

8. Don’t be a “drama queen.”  (You know who you are.) Let the TV lawyers do that.

9. Respect your audience. Speak to them, not at them. You'll know you're in trouble when they start squirming and looking at their watches. (Glazed expressions are another sure-fire hint).

10.  Keep the graphic that makes your point up as long as possible – let the visual reinforce the verbal - you’ve now associated an image with a verbal description - remember - give it a name, a “trigger” or "anchor" that will bring that graphic to mind the next time you need to refer to the subject.

11. Don’t overload the "audience" with images or data.  Tell your story with simple images – simple but to the point. Let them absorb the information in bite sizes (or chunks)  rather than big gulps.

11. Finally - if you're new at this and your message is every bit as effective on a white board, be safe - go with the white board.  Continue honing your storytelling skill until the story becomes (literally) unimaginable, then -  that's your cue to give me a call!

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,