It's crunch time and you have too much content for your presentation. How do you get it all in? Becky Pike Pluth has three tips to save time and still get your important points across. Use your development time and hand-outs so you’re successful from the platform.
1) Take the time to create a short bio of yourself for the hand-out.
Don’t use the platform time to verbally describe your bio. Put it in the hand-out. This gives you more time to cover the training material while still building your credibility. If you have any articles or books you want to reference, include them in the resource section of your hand-out. Participants see your value by hearing you apply it. An exception to this may be if you’re presenting to anyone in academia such as doctors or teachers. They need the verbal bio as well as the handout.
2) Use a hand-out with a notes page on the left side & content on right side
This keeps participants’ notes organized and aligned with the content that’s presented. It’s a great reference when the training is over. It also allows you to expand or contract your content as needed.
3) Use icons & images to represent information in your hand-out
Graphically enhance those keywords you want to focus on. For example, if you have a stop, start & continue section, use a stop sign to stop, start sign to start and arrow to continue to add a visual cue for the participant.
Window paning is a great way to anchor info and make it memorable. It’s simply a graphic of six to nine boxes or panes of glass. You then draw an icon and keyword for each idea you want to communicate.
Have people say the keyword loudly as they write it. This helps with retention. It goes like this. You say the keyword, then have the participants say the keyword. You draw the icon, then have the participants draw the icon.
For example, you might use a computer icon and the keyword access data underneath.
This is a proven technique that:
- Keeps people engaged and involved
- Helps people recall and remember
Then, revisit the icon and keyword several times.
The key to developing a creative hand-out is to actively have the group say it, see it, do it for each concept you’re trying to convey.
A study by R. Benschofter speaks to the power of audiovisuals to communicate more effectively.
- Telling, when used alone, results in 70% recall three hours later and 10% recall three days later.
- Showing when used alone, results in 72% recall three hours later, and 20% recall three days later.
- Blend of telling and showing results in 85% recall three hours later and 65% recall three days later.
The above techniques help people retain more of what they’re learning in a fun and engaging way. By creating a safe, learning environment where people are comfortable making mistakes, people are more likely to help teach each other and assist each other in being successful by processing what they’re learning out loud.
Learn more ways to get more done with less time by checking out the FREE Guide “4 Tips to Transform Yourself into a Time Management Master”. It has great tips for planning your training sessions more effectively.
