The Most Effective Way to Communicate with & Convert Clients

When it comes to communicating with your audience, in hopes of converting them into clients, Visual Communications, often alone, sometimes with words, will be most effective. 

But here's the clincher. They have to be the right visual communications. Otherwise, you may end up repelling potential clients, instead of helping them choose to hire you as a solution to their problem. Here's why:

Non Verbal Communicaitons

Studies show, up to 93% of human communication is non-verbal! 93%!!! This can include body language, voice inflection, facial expression, sound, and of course, man-made visual communications. Pictures, motion pictures, signs, graphics, visual effects, lighting, architecture, interior design, art, etc.

Visual communication existed long before verbal and written language developed. Ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, used drawings to communicate and commemorate stories.

Our brains process pictures quicker and make more meaning from one picture than we do with words. Some experts claim our brains process images 60,000 times faster than words! A picture really is worth 1000 words.

In the early days of filmmaking, movies had no verbal communications, no speaking, and yet we can discern the story, emotions, and even what people were likely saying to each other, just by watching the images on the screen.

The Picture Superiority Effect

Images are more likely to be remembered long-term than words. There have been multiple studies proving that concepts learned through pictures are more likely to be remembered. This is called the Picture Superiority Effect.

Think about it. Let's take a college history class lecture, for example. Even if you read the assigned bazillion chapters in the textbook, the material on non-interesting wars between countries that all sound the same will likely go in one ear and out the other. You may retain enough to pass the test but then you'll likely forget it. 

Watch a motion picture on the same subject, especially if it's a historical drama, and you're likely to remember far more. And not just because of the spoken word. You'll remember the countries involved, seeing their flags, color of their uniforms, the period based on the style of clothing and architecture, key characters, places, and the story, of course.

Learn more about how humans connect and retain more when characters and stories are involved in my blog The Best Way to Influence Your Audience.

Pictures Effect Emotions

Humans are emotional creatures. We often make decisions based on emotion rather than logic. Emotions influence decision making and pictures have been proven to affect our emotions. Strategically created or chosen visual communications are likely to drive potential customers to take action. 

Choose Your Visual Communications Carefully

To most effectively influence your audience, you must choose and create visual communications that make sense. Placing just any picture, a generic logo, or graphics just to fill space won't work. What do you want to communicate? How can it best be represented visually?

A designer who specializes in visual communications can help you with this, especially if it's not in your wheelhouse at all. Although it's difficult to measure the return on investment of visuals specifically (unless you're tracking one photo in an ad or something like that) and overall visual communications strategy will pay off for years to come.