Signposting In public speaking and writing

Signposting is a subtle but important trick in helping your presentations, reports and writing make a powerful impression, writes Simon Hall...

Signpost warning of electric fishing

Do you worry that you might lose your audience when you're crafting a talk, putting together a presentation, or writing a report?

If so, that's where signposting can help. 

A few well judged words here and there can greatly help to ensure your communication is clear, concise, and compelling. 

As with their physical counterparts, signposts enable us to find our way and reach our destination. 

And here's how they're done. 

 

By the way, the picture is an example of how signposts can grab your attention.

It's the first time I've seen that in Cambridge! 

 

Signposting From The Start

This is probably the most important form of signposting.

Right from the very start, you need to make crystal clear what your topic is, and how you're going to address it.

For Creative Warehouse, my company, I sometimes start a presentation or pitch for work with:

   - We can solve all your communication problems with style.

 

That makes it clear immediately what I'm going to be talking about with one big and obvious signpost.

I'll also follow it with another, to show the audience the ground I'm going to cover:

   - Don't believe me? Let me take you through some of the fascinating projects we've worked on.

 

From there, I often go into a story to emotionally engage the audience.

I would signpost that too, as it's slightly outside of a standard business case or pitch for work:

   - But first, let me tell you a story about Creative Warehouse, how we came about, and also confess something. The reason for our existence is a fear we were failing.

 

(And no, I'm not telling you the rest of the tale - you'll have to come to one of my talks!)

 

After the story, to switch back to the business case I might talk about a media and public relations campaign we had run.

That could be introduced with more signposting, making clear we've reached a new section of the presentation:

   - So that's how we came about. And now let me show you an example of our work…

 

Signposting The Secret Sauce

I love that heading. It has to be one of the strangest I've every written.

Anyway, back to the point (note the signpost), which was this:

Signposting is particularly important when it comes to your magic ingredient, secret sauce, or unique selling point.

At that moment, you can really lay on the signposting to make clear something important is coming:

   - Why are we doing so well at Creative Warehouse? Why have we had the privilege of working on such great projects? Why, I suspect, have you invited us here today to talk to you?! That’s because of our magic ingredient…

 

In our case I would then go into the facts, the remarkable range of experience of the Creative Warehouse team, and something which is critical to me:

That humility, integrity and reliability are key values.

We listen, we do the very best we possibly can for the people we're working with, and we're committed to this core principle:

   - We don’t have customers, we have partners.

 

Signposting The Structure

Signposts are also useful as you progress through a talk, report, or even blog, to hold the attention of the audience. 

Phrases such as:

   - As I move towards a close...

 

Or perhaps:

   - Just a couple more things to mention…

 

They all help to bring the audience’s attention back to you when it might be in danger of waning.

Finally for this blog, one more important point… (See what I did there? Pure signposting!)

 

Signposting The Ending

Signposting is particularly useful at the end of a presentation.

It helps to really make sure the audience is listening, and to reinforce your key messages safe in the knowledge they're being taken in.

   - Finally, if you remember one thing from this talk/report/blog, I hope it's that...

 

Notice also how signposts often come with a change of slide when you're presenting, as I suspect the example above would.

The impact of the pairing work well together to emphasise a new section of your talk, and once again help refresh the audience's attention.

 

One last, important point (yes, yet more signposting!) 

If you're interested in finding out more about Creative Warehouse and how me might be able to help you, please have a look at our website, and feel free to get in touch. 



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