| "I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only 1600 pairs." | | | | that amount now represents |
| Imelda MarcosEverything's relative. A million dollars | | | | their "forfeited lifetime income". That is what happened |
| sounds like a lot of money to someone who | | | | to this claimant, and the |
| makes an average salary, but it's a drop in the bucket | | | | amount he would have lost was $750,000. So in fact, |
| to a Warren Buffett or a Bill | | | | counsel was asking no more |
| Gates. Running a hundred metres in a few seconds | | | | than the amount the man would have earned, had he |
| seems like a miracle to ordinary | | | | not met with this unfortunate |
| mortals, but a track and field athlete will work hard to | | | | accident.Don't you think the jury is more likely to agree |
| shave even more off that | | | | when given this background |
| time.Yet presenters often quote statistics without | | | | explanation?Here are three ways to put figures in |
| benchmarks, so the audience doesn't | | | | context for your audience.1. Compare them to |
| know how to evaluate them. Is $10,000 a lot of | | | | something to which they can personally relate, as in |
| money? Well it is for a bicycle. It's | | | | the |
| not much for a house, unless that house is in a small | | | | courtroom example.2. Compare them to a similar |
| village in a third world | | | | situation. If a new manufacturing process takes fifteen |
| country, where it might be exorbitant. If you quote | | | | minutes, mention that the old one took two hours, so |
| numbers this way, you will lose | | | | we save 1-3/4 hours.For |
| the audience while they try to decide whether | | | | even more effect, tell them how much time this will |
| $125,000 is good, bad or indifferent | | | | save in an average shift or on a |
| in this context. Your statistics lose their power.In a | | | | certain number of product units. Go further and |
| presentation skills workshop for a group of lawyers, | | | | translate that time into money and |
| one participant was | | | | the statistic will now be a strong argument for |
| practicing his delivery of an address to the jury in an | | | | change.3. Create vivid word pictures to illustrate size: |
| upcoming trial. He was asking | | | | That's the equivalent of five football |
| for damages in the amount of $750,000, and hoped | | | | fields. That's enough to fill ten Olympic-size swimming |
| the jury would consider it | | | | pools. If laid end-to-end |
| reasonable. It's quite a large sum, and most ordinary | | | | they would stretch from New York to L.A. and back |
| folks think of that kind of cash | | | | again.Statistics can be great persuaders, but only when |
| as a lottery win. He needed to put it in context for | | | | the audience has the means to |
| them.He might, for example, ask the jury to suppose | | | | evaluate them.Helen Wilkie is a professional keynote |
| they were thirty-five years old and | | | | speaker, workshop facilitator and author, |
| earning a salary of $40,000 a year. By the time they | | | | helping companies save their money and people save |
| reached the age of sixty-five, | | | | their sanity through better |
| allowing for reasonable increases, they could expect | | | | communication. Her latest book is "The Hidden Profit |
| to have earned a certain | | | | Center-a tale of profits lost |
| amount. (He would do the arithmetic and insert the | | | | and found through communication." For more articles |
| actual sum.) That amount would | | | | and other information, visit |
| be what is called their "expected lifetime income". | | | | While you're there, sign up for Communi-keys and |
| However, if they were involved in | | | | receive monthly communication techniques directly |
| an accident and suddenly unable to work any more, | | | | from Helen. |