Use Numbers and Pictures Wisely
Thirty-two easy ways to use numbers and pictures wisely, so your facts feel clear and never overwhelming.
One strong number beats ten. A picture beats a paragraph.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie), Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo), Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
One strong number beats ten
A single memorable figure sticks, while a dozen statistics blur. Choose the one number that carries your point and say it clearly.
Pick one number for your next talk.
Make numbers human
“Forty thousand people” is abstract. “A full football stadium” is a picture. Translate numbers into things people can see.
Compare a big number to something familiar.
Round sensibly
“Nearly a third” is easier to hear than “thirty-two point seven percent”. Use exact figures only when needed.
Round your numbers for speech.
Say numbers slowly
Digits are easy to miss. Slow down, pause and repeat key figures.
Say your key number twice.
Use the "one in" trick
“One in five people” is easier to picture than twenty percent. Try it.
Convert a percentage into a “one in” statement.
Use comparisons
“Twice as fast as last year” is clearer than “up fifty percent” for many listeners. Choose the form that makes sense.
Try two ways of saying a figure.
Give context
“Sales rose five percent” means little without a comparison. Say compared with what.
Add a benchmark.
Show change over time
Trends tell stories: “Up every month for a year”. Use simple direction words.
Describe the trend in a sentence.
Use a chart sparingly
A chart with one clear message helps. A crowded one confuses. Show one idea per chart.
Cut your chart to one message.
Title your chart with the point
“Sales doubled in a year” is a better title than “Sales by month”. Tell people what to see.
Rename your chart title.
Highlight what matters
Use colour or a circle to guide the eye to the key bar or line. Mute the rest.
Colour one bar differently.
Remove clutter
Gridlines, heavy borders and extra labels distract. Edward Tufte called the unnecessary ink “chartjunk”. Simplify.
Remove two elements from a chart.
Label directly
Put labels next to lines and bars instead of in a separate key. Viewers do not have to search.
Add direct labels.
Use large text
Text on slides should be readable from the back of the room. If it is small, cut it.
Increase fonts to at least 24 point.
Use pictures
A strong image can say more than a paragraph. Research on picture memory, from Allan Paivio’s dual coding to Lionel Standing’s studies, suggests pictures are remembered well.
Replace a text slide with an image.
Choose relevant images
A picture should add meaning, not decorate. Ask, “What does this show?”
Remove decorative pictures.
Use real photos
Real people and places feel more genuine than generic stock images. Use authentic photos when possible.
Use one real photo.
Use simple diagrams
A simple diagram of a process shows steps at a glance. Keep it to a few boxes.
Draw a three-box diagram.
Use icons sparingly
A few consistent icons can help. Too many clutter.
Use at most one icon per point.
Show, then tell
Display the visual, pause, then explain. Let people look first.
Pause two seconds after showing a slide.
Do not read slides
Let the slide show the point and speak to add. Reading is dull.
Say something not on the slide.
Do not turn your back
Face the audience, glancing at the screen. Keep eye contact.
Practise looking at people.
Use a pointer wisely
A laser can shake with nerves. Use your hand or a highlight on the slide.
Use animation to highlight.
Test your slides
View them on the actual screen. Check colours and sizes.
Do a test run in the room.
Use contrast
Dark text on a light background, or the reverse, is easiest to read. Avoid low contrast.
Check contrast.
Keep a consistent style
Use the same fonts and colours. Consistency feels professional.
Choose two fonts.
Give handouts after
Detailed numbers belong in a handout, not on screen. Keep slides light.
Prepare a one-page handout.
Check your numbers
An error damages trust. Double-check sources and arithmetic.
Verify every figure.
State your source
“According to the national survey” lends credibility. Name the source briefly.
Add a source line.
Be honest with data
Do not mislead with truncated axes or cherry-picked figures. Trust is worth more.
Check your chart for fairness.
Explain jargon in numbers
Terms such as “median” need a quick definition. Keep it plain.
Define one term.
Use a number to open
A striking number can start a talk. “Every minute, we lose a hundred calls.”
Find a number that sets the scene.
Use a number to close
Return to your number at the end for a satisfying loop.
Echo your opening number.
Use rule of three with numbers
Present three key figures at most. It is easy to hold.
Choose three numbers.
Use analogies for scale
“A grain of sand among a beach” gives scale to big or small numbers.
Create an analogy.
Practise saying numbers
Say dates, prices and percentages aloud. Smooth delivery builds confidence.
Practise five numbers.
Celebrate clarity
When listeners say, “I remember the number”, you did well.
Note one number someone remembered.
Use Hans Rosling's trick of comparison
The statistician Hans Rosling made world data gripping by comparing groups side by side and showing movement over time. A simple before-and-after or two-country comparison brings numbers to life.
Show two figures side by side instead of one alone.
Check the picture works without sound
A good slide should make sense in a few seconds without you speaking. If a viewer cannot tell what it shows, simplify the picture or the title.
Show your slide to a friend for five seconds and ask what they saw.
Give people time to read
If a slide has words, pause so people can read before you speak, because listeners cannot read and listen at once. Silence while they read is a respectful pause, not a gap.
Stay silent for three seconds when a new slide appears.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.
“It saves ten hours a week.â€
“Imagine a full bus of people.â€
“That is like two cups of tea a day.â€
“Let me round that up.â€
“Thanks for listening.â€
“The key number is ten.â€
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Choose one key number
Round it
Compare it
Make it visible
Use a simple picture
Explain it
Repeat it
Further reading
- The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie)
- Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo)
- Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
More lessons in “Speaking Clearly”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Tell a Short Story InsteadNext: Finish With One Clear Takeaway →
- Slow Down by Ten Percent
- Speak From Your Belly, Not Your Throat
- The Magic of the Pause
- End Sentences Like You Mean Them
- Warm Up Your Voice in One Minute
- Find Your Natural Volume
- Vary Your Tone to Keep Attention
- Use Words a Ten-Year-Old Would Understand
- Short Sentences Sound Confident
- Cut Jargon and Filler Words
- Lead With Your Main Point
- Say One Idea at a Time
- Replace Vague Words With Exact Ones
- Read Your Words Out Loud First
- Open Your Mouth and Speak Clearly
- Stop Mumbling in Three Steps
- Pronounce Hard Words With Confidence
- Breathe at the Right Moments
- Speak Clearly on the Phone
- Speak Clearly on Video Calls
- Handle an Accent With Pride
- The Point, Reason, Example Formula
- The Rule of Three
- Start With Why It Matters
- Tell a Short Story Instead
- Use Numbers and Pictures Wisely
- Finish With One Clear Takeaway
- Answer a Question in Thirty Seconds
- Replace Um With a Silent Pause
- What to Do When You Lose Your Thought
- Recover From a Mistake Smoothly
- Stop Over-Explaining
- Stop Apologising Before You Speak
- Practise With a Voice Recorder
- Stay Clear When You Are Nervous
- Speak Clearly When Put on the Spot
- Explain Something Complicated Simply
- Speak Clearly in an Argument
- Speak Clearly to Someone Senior
- Your Daily Clarity Habit
