23 Feb CASH COW
Author and illustrator David Macaulay published The Way Things Work in 1998. It was a book about everyday machines and the scientific principles behind how they operate. How did Macaulay manage to sell over two million copies? To explain levers, he drew a mammoth on the end of a log and villagers on the other end. Then he had readers guess the mammoth’s weight. Macaulay wanted to appeal to and inform kids, but adults also loved his book. We have a copy on our shelf.
When you are prepping a presentation, regardless of the technical complexity, consider adding a dash of humor. Like Macaulay, build complex ideas upon a simple foundation so that your audience buys in.
For example: Lou and Dan Kravitz of Louis Kravitz and Associates were about to promote their Los Angeles actuary firm by speaking to potential clients. We advocated doing something different than the traditional, and often boring explanation of retirement planning. Lou and Dan bought cases of toy cows who mooed when squeezed. They tossed the cows into the audience with this recurring theme: “Milk your cash cow!” Who says actuaries aren’t creative?
In over two dozen books, Macaulay developed his mix of humor and information. He is now called “America’s Explainer in Chief” and was awarded a Macarthur Genius grant. No matter how technical your topic, start simple, add a dollop of humor and engage your audience. And never be afraid of tossing a cow or two into the mix.
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