When presenting data, it’s crucial that your audience can fully understand what they mean and represent. You might think the highly complex graph on your slide is doing the trick. But it could actually make things more confusing for your audience. Make sure everyone is on the same page with these four simple rules for presenting data:
Include only the most important part
Be mindful to include the information that’s most important to your core message. If you’re dealing with plenty of spreadsheets, review the data you have and figure out what they mean in relation to your presentation. This will help you pick out which data are the most significant to your key points.
Know when and which graphs or charts to use
Figure out the correct way to present your data. Review the different types of charts and graphs to know what you should use for your presentation. You can also summarize your data in a few simple sentences if you don’t really need to go into detail.
Add some interest with related images and icon
Bar graphs and pie charts are great methods for presenting data. But if your presentation deck has one chart after another, your visuals can easily look dull and monotonous. You definitely want to have a bit more variety. As an alternative, you can try presenting data with images and icons that help drive home your point.
Lead by telling everyone what the numbers are about
Before you go into a detailed discussion, begin by talking about what the numbers means. Provide the audience an overall look before zooming in to the finer points. Keep your audience engaged by helping them see the bigger picture. This is especially important if your presentation is crucial to sales or investment efforts.
Read More: 5 Commandments for Presenting Data in PowerPoint
Featured Image: justgrimes via Flickr
