As cliched as it sounds, a picture is still worth a thousand words. Images have a powerful impact on emotions and physiological states and a higher impact on brain function.
Scientists have proved that our brain’s language-processing abilities are much newer and less deeply wired than are our visual-processing abilities. When it hears words, the brain has to relate the words to concepts, then decode the concepts into images, which is what you and me understand!
What if the brain is spoken directly in its own language, i.e., images?
When you can and if you speak in pictures, you will have a greater impact on the receiver and your messages will be construed more memorable. Reason why, visionary charismatics deploy the full use of images and visual metaphors.
For instance, when Steve Jobs launched the iPod, he wanted to dramatically illustrate its small size and light weight. He first took the iPod out of the smallest pocket of his jeans thus proving just how small and slim it was.
Next, he compared its weight to eight quarter coins. He showed Nano on one side of his PPT slide and placed eight quarter coins on the other. By this, he was able to talk to the brains of millions across the world visually; and hence directly!
Talking in visuals can also help you convince the receiver to accept harsh messages. When Lee Iacocca was trying desperately to turnaround Chrysler Corporation, he had to close a few factories which would result in the layoff of thousands of workers. He wanted to avoid an emotional backlash that he knew would result.
So, used a battle metaphor to explain what he wanted to do and why. He compared himself to an army surgeon and said it was wartime, with hundreds of wounded men everywhere. He said he had to prioritize which ones to attend to first and was trying to help those with the best chance of survival and was forced to ignore the rest.
By this, he was made American people realize that the factory closing was painful for everyone, it had to be done for the benefit of others. Also, Lee Iacocca projected himself as one of those soldiers fighting in the war zone and a life-saver treating the organization which was at war. He even ended up writing a bestseller about it after he retired!
When you want to sell or convince someone, talk in visuals!