Presentation Pro Tip 457 – Include a Memorable Statistic

Using a memorable statistic can create a connection with your audience. Tying that statistic to something fun and unique can make a profound impact and help to carry your message to others outside your presentation. Below, we will discuss how a clever comparison made for a very memorable statistic.

We were watching a webinar on plastics in our environment, Plastic Pollution and Possible Solutions.

One of the speakers spoke about microplastics, little bits (less than five millimeters in length) of plastic that are pervasive in our environment. Microplastics are everywhere, including in the food we eat. The study the speaker cited calculated that humans ingest about five grams of microplastics every week.

When the speaker mentioned the five-gram measurement, it was hard for people to quantify. This was a US-based audience, and familiarity with the metric system was likely minimal. Even converting five grams into the imperial system, 0.18 ounces, would fail to clarify the measurement for the participants.

The speaker took the hard-to-comprehend measurement and compared it to something the audience could immediately recognize. As it turns out, the plastic credit card in your wallet is roughly equal to five grams. In other words, we are eating the equivalent of one plastic credit card every week, which is exactly what the presenter said.

All the other subsequent speakers mentioned this factoid; it really hit home and was memorable to them. Even though one of his fellow speakers was a member of the US Congress who spoke about some significant legislation, we would guarantee that if you polled the audience, the one thing that would stick for a long time was the fact that we are eating a credit card's worth of plastic every week.

The speaker created what Nancy Duarte calls a S.T.A.R. moment, Something They will Always Remember. Every presentation should have one.

As you practice your talk, ask your test audiences what part they will always remember. The answers may surprise you, and you may need to make changes.

Finally, when crafting your presentation, make sure that any numbers presented are relatable to your audience. For example, this credit card comparison wouldn’t work in a country where credit cards are uncommon, but it worked exceedingly well for this speaker's audience.

If you would like assistance crafting your message, contact us. We will be glad to help.