We often hear figures and statistics being quoted in media interviews but very rarely are they memorable.
In fact in most cases they are instantly forgettable, confusing and often boring.
The reality is that while you may think figures play an important role in supporting your message, audiences struggle to visualise numbers or put them into perspective.
Generally speaking, the bigger the number the harder it is to really understand.
So, should you leave statistics out of your media interviews and presentations?
This is a question that often comes up on our media training and presentation training courses.
The answer is that they can be a really powerful tool in a media interviews - but you need to be creative in the way you use them.
Consider this example. Earlier this month it was reported that 3.3 million people in their early twenties and thirties live with their parents.
If you’re like me, you might think that sounds like a lot but you’re not really too sure and by the time the programme has moved on to the next story you have forgotten what the figure actually was anyway.
How about when it is presented as one in four people in their early twenties and early thirties now live with their parents? Suddenly the figure is brought to life. It has become relatable, much easier to put into context and now has a ‘wow’ factor.
How about this story? Is it particularly memorable when we learn the country throws away 55 million litres of paint a year? I suspect not.
But what if we are told that is enough paint to fill 20 Olympic sized swimming pools? Now we have a visual image of what all that wasted paint looks like.
So, if you are going to introduce a figure in your next media interview or presentations follow it with a phrase like ‘that’s the equivalent of’ or ‘ to put that number in context’ and use something relatable to make it more interesting and memorable.
Other examples might be ‘that’s enough people to fill Wembley Stadium 20 times over’ or ‘that would cover the size of 15 rugby pitches’. Don’t stop at sporting analogies - try to be creative and develop your own comparisons to put your figures into context.
Another tip is to restrict your interviews and presentations to just couple of statistics to illustrate key points. All too often we see spokespeople try to shoehorn as many figures as possible into the interview, succeeding in overwhelming the audience and creating a numerical blur. Less really is more if you want people to remember the figures.
And if you are going to use percentages make them simple and impactful. For example, ‘more than a quarter’ sounds much better than 27 per cent. Or instead of 13 per cent you could talk about ‘around one in eight of us’. Around nine in ten adults in the UK follow news every day – enough people to fill Wembley Stadium 525 times. Make sure they can remember the facts and figures in your story.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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