What is a good guideline to follow when using statistics in a speech?

There are so many elements you can add to a presentation to make it more effective and interesting for your audience. Three of these are facts, quotes, and statistics, and the reason they are effective in public speaking is simple: Adding support from outside sources reinforces the validity of the information you are presenting and the statements you make.

Facts in Public Speaking

As a public speaker, it is in your best interest to include solid facts in your presentation to demonstrate to your audience that you know what you are talking about, and you have evidence to back up your statements. A fact is an objective piece of information that can be verified as being true. For example, it is a fact that the earth is round. We know this because we have seen proof in images from space.

Using facts in your presentations gives you a strong starting point with your audience. By providing facts, you establish yourself as an authority—a credible source of information who has a solid understanding of the topic and who can provide relevant data that has been confirmed as true. There’s nothing wrong with sharing your opinions during a speech, but those opinions will hold more value for your audience if they first see that you’ve done the research to thoroughly understand the topic, and that your opinions are based on facts and not just emotion.

How to Use Facts:

• As an opener—Sharing an interesting or little-known fact can grab your audience’s attention right off the mark

• To support your opinions—By showing your listeners that your opinion on a subject or situation is based on indisputable fact, your reasons for holding that opinion appear more valid

Public Speakers Need Good Quotes

Quotes are a great way to arouse emotion from your audience members, but more than that, they can reinforce your ideas. Strong quotes can provide depth to your speech or presentation; they can make people laugh, cry, or consider something from a new perspective.

You can use quotes to emphasize practically any point you’re trying to make, but use them appropriately and in context. And only quote people or sources that matter to your audience. For instance, the late Jim Rohn, an entrepreneur and motivational speaker once said: “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” The fact that that quote came from someone who made a career of choosing words to inspire others makes it more valuable to your audience than if it came from your mother or a friend.

How to Use Quotes:

• As an opener—Use a strong quote to set the tone of your presentation. A humorous quote will warm up your audience; a serious quote will (hopefully) evoke emotion from them.

• To support your ideas or opinions—Use quotes from notable and relevant sources to back up your position on a subject, and always verify the authenticity and accuracy of the quotes you choose. Don’t forget to attribute the quote!

Statistics Drive Your Point Home

By including statistics in the form of numbers and facts in your presentation or speech, you add realism, and that makes abstract ideas more manageable for your audience to process and understand. Using statistics will also make your statements more compelling because you have exact figures to back up what you’re saying.

Statistics also allow you to make generalizations about a large group based on the findings of a smaller group. For example: According to a 2003 study completed by Michigan State University, the average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour. This statistic is based on a study of people who consumed alcohol and were monitored in order to determine how long it took their bodies to metabolize the alcohol.

Certainly not every person in the world was included in the study, but based on the its results, it’s not unreasonable to assume that all human bodies metabolize alcohol in the same way and in the same approximate timeframe as those participating in the study.

How to Use Statistics:

• To elicit emotion from the audience—Using statistics can have an emotional impact on your audience by drawing attention to facts that matter to them. A statistic about the number of children who go to bed hungry every morning can illustrate the issue of poverty in your community
• To boost your credibility—Citing statistics shows your audience that you have researched the material you are presenting to them, and when you choose statistics from credible sources, you increase your own credibility by association.

Improve your next presentation by using strong facts, quotes and statistics to support your message. For other helpful tips, visit the Resources page over at Effective Presentations (our parent company), where you’ll find quotes we’ve hand-picked for an awesome presentation.

Has this ever happened to you?

You’ve discovered a fascinating statistic that clinches your persuasive argument. You save it for your last point, and deliver it clearly. You expect a wave of emotion to hit your audience, but…

Nothing. Your audience doesn’t react at all. Do they not get it?

If this sounds familiar, then you are not alone. A Six Minutes subscriber, Akiko Takeshita, sends this question via email:

I wonder if you have any advice for working statistics into a speech. Sometimes it works for me, but I often feel like the audience isn’t impacted by the statistic when the statistic seems very powerful to me. What am I doing wrong?

In this article, we examine the importance of using statistics in your speech, and how to do so effectively.

Why use statistics in your speech?

Knowing how to leverage statistics in your speech is an important skill.

• Statistics add realism to your speech. It’s okay to talk about big ideas in abstract terms, but you also have to make it real. Numbers and facts are one way to staple your speech arguments to reality (thus boosting logos). For example, claiming that correctly setting your tire pressure will increase your fuel mileage is one thing. But stating that it could save $500 a year in fuel costs is much better.
• Statistics can have an emotional impact (pathos) on your audience. For example, you can amplify the emotional response in your speech about poverty by revealing the percentage of children in your community who will not be receiving gifts this holiday season.
• Statistics raise your credibility (ethos) in two ways. First, using a statistic demonstrates that you’ve done research and are working hard for the audience. Second, using statistics from trusted sources (e.g. the World Health Organization) boosts your credibility by association.
• Statistics can be memorable, sticking with your audience beyond the duration of your speech.

How do you choose the right statistics?

“Numbers and facts are one way to staple your speech arguments to reality.”

If you plunge yourself into research for your topic, you’ll find that you are soon swimming in statistics. With so much data to choose from, how do you decide which material to use?

Here are several factors to consider when making your choice:

• Which statistics would impact your audience most? While it helps if you feel the statistic is powerful (so you can speak with sincerity), it’s more important to choose statistics that your audience will find powerful.
• Which statistics are most surprising? This, too, is dependent on the audience. Your goal is to have your audience members leave the room and say to their friends, “You’ll never believe what I learned in a speech today…“
• Which statistics help validate your individual arguments? Statistics should not be included in your speech because they are merely interesting trivia; they must be closely tied to your core message or supporting points. If it isn’t relevant to your speech, your audience may remember the statistic, but they won’t remember you or your message.

The art of weaving the statistic into your speech.

If you remember just one thing from this article, remember this: you must provide a meaningful context for your statistics. A naked statistic will not impact your audience if they do not have the background knowledge to assess it properly.

For example, suppose I tell you that Six Minutes has ten thousand subscribers. You may be impressed, but you may not. Is that a big number? A small number?

However, if I also tell you that this makes Six Minutes one of the most popular speaking blogs on the planet (or perhaps the most popular), this allows you to interpret the statistic in a more meaningful context.

• Follow up the statistic with a comparison in concrete terms to which your audience can relate.
• Bring your statistic to life by telling the story of one of the “numbers”. For example, if your statistic is the number of people with breast cancer, you might begin by telling the story of a breast cancer victim and then reveal that “she is just one of 100,000 women in this country who will find out they have cancer this year.”
• Compare the statistic to itself earlier in time. The most powerful aspect may be to see how the value has changed from one year to the next, or from one decade to the next.
• Don’t rely on your audience to just “get it.” Explain the connection between the statistic and your message. A direct approach is usually best, such as “This is important because…“

Delivering the statistic for maximum effect

Assuming you’ve used one of the earlier tips for weaving the statistic into your speech, your effectiveness still hinges on successful delivery. Here are a few techniques you can use to maximize the effect you desire:

• Hint at its importance. You can do this earlier in the speech to build suspense (e.g. “In a few moments, I’m going to reveal a shocking statistic that will make you change the way you view civic politics…“) or use a quick, immediate approach (e.g. “If you remember just one thing from this speech, remember this…“)
• Pause immediately before the statistic to create suspense.
• Articulate clearly, and speak slightly slower than your normal rate. This will also signal the importance of the statistic.
• Pause immediately after the statistic (a little longer than before) to give your audience time to process the meaning and “feel” the impact.
• Use gestures to demonstrate the magnitude. Standing with your arms wide open, for example, creates a sense of size.
• Use facial expressions to convey the appropriate reaction. (i.e. show your own shock, surprise, sadness, etc.)
• If you are speaking with slides, you might reveal a slide to coincide with your statistic. You could use a chart to highlight the magnitude of the number, or you could use a photograph to strike a more emotional tone. Whatever you do, make sure that slide is simple! You want your audience to easily digest the meaning along with your spoken words.

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Have you had success with statistics in your speeches? What works for you? What doesn’t?

Please share in the comments.