Use Vivid Language

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AUDIENCE MEMBERS wouldn’t conjure up this clear and memorable a picture in their minds unless it was painted with vivid language by the speaker. © ilbusca/istockphoto.com

Language paints a picture for an audience. The more vivid your terms, the more audience members can use their imaginations and their senses. For example, if you say you have a car, your listeners get a common, forgettable fact. If you tell them that your father drove a faded orange 1972 Volkswagen Beetle with a dent in the left fender and a broken taillight, you’ll give them a very clear and memorable picture of this vehicle. You may assume your great, eye-catching slides and props will paint the picture for you, but you must not forget that words count—often even more than your PowerPoint slides.