How to become memorable? Put a cherry on the cake!

Last month I described one way to become memorable. The use of a concrete item (prob) to underline the message of your presentation. Like one of my trainees started off her presentation by holding up a cookie in the air, while saying "do you know what is in this cookie? Starting off her presentation on consumer rights to know what is in our food. Ever since, this image is engraved in my memory. This was a very powerful tool, combining a question with a prob!

This month I'll describe another way to become memorable while presenting. I am very excited about this subject and like a prob it can be extremely powerful. It often has the effect of putting a juicy red cherry on the cake! Read down below more about this subject.

The last couple of years I have heard hundreds of presentations. And most of them I have to say have been forgotten. Especially the ones that used probs and/or clear metaphors in their presentation have stuck in my mind!!! So, I am talking about using the powerful tool of metaphors in your presentation!

In this article I will describe clear examples of metaphors, explain how they work and their effect. I will end with an easy 3-way approach for you to make it easier to use them. So, you can take the first step in becoming memorable by using metaphors next time you´ll present!

Metaphors are always effective, but especially when you present a complicated subject to a layman audience. One of my trainees was a Phd. Student, studying diabetics. I had never quite understood the disease. This trainee used a metaphor for explaining the disease by comparing a room with cells that need insulin. The lock in the door to the room as the insulin receptor. Then he said, what happens if the key (insulin) that needs to go to the cells (room), does not fit in the lock? In three sentences he explained the basic problem in a crystal clear way. I have never forgotten about it, ever since.

By using this metaphor he achieved 3 things. 1) He explained a complicated subject in a concise and clear manner. 2) The presentation became memorable. It would not have stuck, if he only had used abstract and professional medical language to explain the disease. 3) It appeals to the imagination of the public. It is creative and connects two things that at first side have nothing to do with each other (diabetes and a room, door and lock). This gives the subject more depth, feeling and understanding.

Other examples of metaphors:

Comparing the United Nations to a crèche of children.
Comparing the outcome of mergers with the predictability of an Icelandic volcano.

In my work as a trainer I use metaphors all the time. For instance referring to the introduction of a presentation as being a glide. The audience should easily and automatically glide to the main part of the presentation. I notice that using metaphors helps my trainees to easily remember the subjects , have a deeper understanding of it and make what I would like to convey christal clear.

So, what can you do to make use of metaphors next time you’ll present?
1)    Take an extra five minutes and ask yourself what is the main idea you would like to convey?
2)    To what could you compare it? (think of (characteristics, processes) of animals, nature, well-know (historical) figures, the body, countries, food, everyday life etcetera).
3)    Test the metaphor on someone, to make sure the parallel is clear and that it works.

So, be bold and dare to put this juicy red cherry on the cake and become memorable! You will win your audience over, cause you’ll give them the chance to get a deeper understanding of your subject, to understand it more easily, and to remember it much better!

Good luck with it!
Mabel Frumau
www.presentingwithimpact.nl