In the past, I’ve touched on the importance of bullet points and numbered lists. But even more effective than good writing is a good visual! Our brains can process and retain information through visual means more successfully than by listening or reading. People retain 10-20% of what they hear and read. However, they retain about 80% of what they see or experience. That is a significant difference, and something we should remember in our own daily work. In short, a picture is worth 1000 words.
A popular type of visual communication in marketing is the infographic – a visual that includes imagery, graphs, charts, and text used to get a point across. For example:
Infographics can be used for comparisons like this one. They can also be used to explain something complicated, give instructions, present data, or promote events and initiatives.
Venngage and Canva are two sites that offer free templates and graphics for creating your own infographics. Though the selection will be limited with their free subscriptions, there is enough there to get started so you can create more effective communications at your parish. A picture is worth 1000 words – so leverage that knowledge to communicate more effectively, and watch your success rates soar.
