Available Content

Never "tell" the listener what to do or think ... "illustrate" it!

Clear Content Requires Illustrations

You may already have an illustration in mind. If so, it will probably fit into one of these 5 main illustration categories:

• EXPLANATION
  • Description / Definition
  • Demonstration
• EXAMPLES
  • Case Study
  • Historical Example
  • Cultural Example
  • Hypothetical Example
  • Personal Example
  • Analogy / Metaphor
• ENDORSEMENT
  • Quotation
  • Testimonial
• EVIDENCE
  • Fact
  • Statistic
• EXPERIENCE
  • Application / Product / Tool
  • Mnemonic
  • Drama / Entertainment
  • Activity

Any of the above can be done through multiple media: oral, visual aids, multimedia, etc.

Step 1: Identify Illustrations

For each of your story cards you need to identify at least one illustration that will prove your story card sub-headline true.

If your speech is an actual story or inspirational theme, the illustration might be as simple as sharing the description of the scene or characters in the story. If your speech is a sales pitch or persuasive argument, your illustrations might be more factual.

Example

The "How SpeechDeck Works" presentation uses this story point:

• S Using SpeechDeck to add color is easy.

Based on the list of categories above, here are some ideas for illustrations that might prove that point:

• EXPLANATION - Show visual and explain the 8 colors
  
• EXAMPLE - Tell personal story of how a single card helped me
  
• ENDORSEMENT - Share customer testimonials
  
• EVIDENCE - Show scientific studies that people don't remember if it's complex
  
• EXPERIENCE - Invite listener to draw a card from the deck and demo
  

The option we chose is a "mnemonic" that illustrates the "easieness" of Speechdeck by giving the listener a EXPERIENCE that proves how easy it is to remember the 7 color codes. Here it is:

• i Check your ARMPITS

That is the phrase we would write next to step one on our illustration card.

To explain how SpeechDeck is simple, we explain that there are only seven principles that are easy to remember. You'll never forget to check your "A-R-M-P-I-T-S."

Step 2: Articulate the "Why"

Once you have chosen an illustration, make sure that it relates to the headline. This step is essential.

If you cannot explain how your illustration relates to the headline in a simple sentence, then your illustration does not belong in your speech. If you give illustrations that do not relate to your message, you will not be clear, the listener will not remember your headline, and you will not achieve your objective.

Complete this sentence: "I'm sharing this illustration because ..."

• ibecause ... ARMPITS is a visual word that the listner won't forget

Step 3: Write a mini-Headline

Lastly, shorten the "why" from step 2 into a mini-headline for the illustration.

An illustration mini-headline, does not need to be as short and concise as the main headline, but it should be worded as a complete sentence that you can actually speak to the listener.

• i SpeechDeck uses the acronym "Check your ARMPITS" to make the principles easy to remember.

By using those keywords, we can guarantee that our illustration is actually "illustrating" the parent headline.

If our ARMPITS mnemonic belongs in this presentation we should be able to articulate, in one sentence, how A-R-M-P-I-T-S makes SpeechDeck easy.

Clear Illustrations are Visual (Illustrated)

The most engaging part of the news report is the picture next to the article. Facts, quotes, and statistics are sometimes important, but remember that the purpose of your illustration is to "illustrate."

Lectures and words require more effort to make interesting. Pictures are automatically more engaging than words. Whenever possible, choose illustrations that are visual rather than verbal.

Spoken communication is at a great disadvatage to written word because your time on stage limits how much you can say. However, in a speech, you are not limited to just words.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This means, that for a speech, you generally choose visual illustrations over informational ones. By doing so, you take advantage of the strengths of spoken word over written word.

Visual does not mean you always use a slide show. "Visual" can mean showing pictures, but it also means using illustrations that are easier to explain and picture in person, and leaving highly informational illustrations to a written medium.

The visual element in our acronym is the acronym ARMPITS. Not everybody likes it, but everybody can remember it, because everybody can visualize it. It is a true "illustration."

Clear Illustrations are Flexible

Illustrations must be flexible, because you must adapt your speech to the time allotted. You cannot always include ALL your illustrations. Sometimes you only have time for one illustration.

Because you took the time to structure your presentation with a clear headline and story line, you will be able to easily adapt, eliminate, or add illustrations depending on your time allotment.

Secondly, illustrations must be flexible because illustrations are the part of your presentation to which you can add color and engagement. The black and white storyline of your message is set. Illustrations bridge the gap between the black and white and the color.

When you follow the step-by-step process on colored technique cards you don't change your headline or story line, you ADD description and wording to an illustration.

The black and white portions of your presentation must be concise and clear. Illustrations also have a black and white component, the mini-headline. However, the color techniques you add to the illustrations usually require extra words.

A great 10 minute presentation only has a few minutes of black and white, the rest is all color. In other words, as you prepare your speech, be flexible.

Add Additional Illustrations

Each story point in your speech must have at least one illustration, but there is no limit. Depending on your time allotment, you can add as many different illustrations as necessary to prove your headline.

If you do use multiple illustrations, don't overuse the same type of illustration. Use the list on the left side of the illustration card to choose illustrations of various different types.