5 Techniques to Make Your Numbers Explain Themselves

Without a doubt you’ll have to present them to other people in your organization. You might even have to present them to people outside of your organization.

In spite of all your preparation, it seems that every time you give one of these presentations you spend more time explaining what the numbers mean. This uses up time you planned to use to achieve your goals.

Lucky for you, there is something you can do about this problem. You can reduce the amount of time you spend explaining by applying several tried and true techniques.

To begin with make your basic presentation. Then create a unique version for each of your audiences. This doesn’t require duplicating efforts. It just requires you to know your audience.

Find out what they know and what they don’t know in advance. Use only Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) they are familiar with. Introducing unknown or unfamiliar measures only creates confusion. Confusion means that you’re going to spend more time explaining the new or unfamiliar materials.

Use the names for the measures that your audience uses. If they use one name for a measure and you use another, you have will have to explain it. Save yourself the time. Use their names.

Next present your Key Performance Indicators in a sequence that explains your message. Use a sequence that tells them the story you want them to learn from the numbers.

For example, you need to show the Production Division how spending decisions they make directly impact the organization’s ability to increase gross margin. Break this down into four parts.

First show them the Organizations gross margin history for several years. Include the target for this fiscal year.

Second, show them how company expenditures relate to the gross margin over a period of several years. Emphasize the relationship between the two.

Third, show the Production Division’s expenditures compared to the rest of the company. You want to make sure they have a sense of how much an impact their efforts will have on gross margin.

Fourth, show a breakdown of major expense categories for the Production Division over the same time periods.

While this may seem like overkill, you will find that you will help everyone understand what they are being asked to do. No matter how long they have worked there or what their background it should be clear what you are asking them to reduce and how it will affect the organization’s performance.

Use charts instead of tables and reports. Everyone knows how to read a chart. Charts also help you limit the number of KPIs you can put together.

Finally, you need to be consistent every time you present an update. Be sure that any materials you send out to your audience have the same KPIs and the same charts. The sequence, the KPIs are presented in is just as important as what is presented.

If you do this, your audience will not have to relearn what you’ve already taught them. They only have to compare the current numbers to the previously presented numbers.

Apply these techniques and you’ll significantly reduce the amount of time you spend explaining the numbers that you’re presenting.

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