Make it Memorable

By Diane West and Jennifer Dreyer

"We lose 30 children to gun violence every two days."

"We lose a classroom of children to gun violence every two days."

Which are you more likely to remember a month from now? Research suggests that the second statement will be absorbed and retained with more audiences. Why? Information is absorbed in direct proportion to its vividness. The more vivid the information, the more the memorable it is.

Think of the number 30. What mental image comes to your mind?

Now think of "classroom." What image comes to mind?

Which created a clearer mental picture? For most of us, it is the classroom of children. What makes the second statement more memorable is its ability to quickly create a life-like image in our mind. In contrast, the number 30 is too impersonal to easily create an image of any kind.

It is through images that we convey feelings and tap into emotions. When you think of a losing a classroom of children to gun violence, it is difficult to not respond emotionally. And while individuals certainly take action and make decisions based on both logic and emotions, time and again, research has shown that emotions are primary when making decisions and driving action.

If you want your audiences to retain information and take action as a result of your presentations, creating clear mental images is critical. The S-A-F-E-S-T way to ensure you are delivering a vivid message is to incorporate a variety of the following methods to convey your message:

Statistics

Statistics are numerical data that summarize information and show a relationship.

Example: 82% of our customers report that they would buy our product again

Analogies

A comparison between two things: usually something more familiar to something less familiar.

Example: The internet is like our national roadway system and email addresses are the address along the roadway.

Facts

A fact is something that has or can be observed as true.

Example: Alaska is the largest state in the United States.

Examples

An example is a short illustration to dramatize or personalize a fact.

Example: Last month, one of our clients installed the software and saw a 30% improvement in productivity.

Stories

A story is an illustration that has characters, a plot, and a climax. Stories are more detailed than an example.

Testimonials

Testimonials are opinions of recognized experts.

Example: The Surgeon General has determined that smoking is hazardous to your health.

So, when developing your next presentation, use the SAFEST approach to bring your message to life. It will result in a vivid and memorable presentation.