112 DELIVER THE EXPERIENCE
you. One doctor I know once told a patient, “Your blood pres-
sure is 220 over 140. We consider 120 over 80 to be normal.
Your blood pressure is severely high. That means you have a
much higher risk of having a heart attack, kidney disease, and
stroke. In fact, with numbers this high, you could drop dead at
any minute by blowing your gourd. The arteries in your brain
will literally burst.” By being specific, relevant, and contextual,
the doctor made his point and motivated his patient to make
changes right away!
Regardless of what industry you’re in, the numbers you throw
around will have little impact on your audience unless and until
you make them meaningful. Numbers out of context are sim-
ply unimpressive. Whether you’re presenting the data behind a
new technology or a particular medical condition, comparing
the number to something your listeners can relate to will make
your message far more interesting, impactful, and ultimately
persuasive.DIRECTOR’S NOTES
Use data to support the key theme of your presentation.
As you do, consider carefully the figures you want to
present. Don’t overwhelm your audience with too many
numbers. Make your data specific, relevant, and contextual. In
other words, put the numbers into a context that is
relevant to the lives of your listeners. Use rhetorical devices such as analogies to dress up your
numbers.