EP022: Visual Storytelling with Graphics in Your RFPs – with Richard Goring of BrightCarbon

We know that people are drawn to visual content. Unfortunately, most of us add graphics to our RFPs as an afterthought, and our charts and callout boxes fail to provide value in terms of the story we’re trying to tell. But if we can learn to use visuals the right way, they have the potential to convey information in a way that is more engaging, more memorable, and easier to understand than a tedious wall of text.

Richard Goring is the Director of BrightCarbon, a presentation design and eLearning agency that leverages visual storytelling techniques to create compelling training content and persuasive presentations that make a memorable impact. Richard specializes in helping sales, marketing, and learning and development experts communicate more effectively by way of visual content.

Today, Richard joins us to discuss the power of graphics to convey complex information in an elegant way. He explains why people remember proposals that contain visual information, how graphics facilitate engagement with your content, and how to highlight or edit visual content to illustrate its punchline. Richard also describes the differences between graphics in a government proposal versus a corporate RFP, offering advice on how to create simple flow maps and charts or more involved multimedia presentations. Listen in for Richard’s insight around using visual storytelling techniques to compel people to pay attention, facilitate a clear understanding of your solution, and reflect a level of professionalism that makes your RFP stand out!

Resources

Microsoft Office Suite

Apple Keynote

iSpring PowerPoint Plugin

Adobe Creative Cloud

APMP Conference

BrightCarbon’s Visualization Process

Unsplash

Pexels

Illustrio

The Noun Project

Creative Market

Billion Dollar Graphics

The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek

 

Key Takeaways

  • BrightCarbon’s role as a presentation design company

  • The danger in visuals/graphics added as an afterthought

  • How graphics convey complex information in an elegant way

  • Why people remember proposals with visual information

  • How graphics facilitate engagement with your content

  • The type of information you might convey through visuals

    • Complex technical solutions

    • Maps, diagrams or site layouts

  • How to highlight or edit content to provide a punchline

  • Why info emphasized in callout boxes must be relevant

  • The differences between government and corporate RFPs

  • The simple graphics you can include in government proposals

    • Flow maps or charts (save slide as jpeg and imbed)

    • Simple systems processes or site maps

  • Richard’s advice on using the tools you have available

  • How you can use PowerPoint to create a corporate proposal

    • Animation, imbed audio or video

    • Hyperlinks and triggers

  • How infographics illustrate full processes and convey facts

  • How graphics facilitate a clear understanding of your solution

 

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EP023: Influencing Up to Deliver Successful RFPs – with Donna Warrick of Jamesson Solutions

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EP021: Understanding DISC Behavioral Styles for Better Communication – with Drea Douglass of The Brooks Group