Selling the Visual Story
Last week I was speaking at an event in Orlando and added a day to check out Universal's new Epic Universe theme park. Great rides of course (Battle at the Ministry and the truly incredible Monster’s Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment are, well...Epic), but the real star of the story is the physical park itself. Remarkable attention to design, extraordinary details and deep dives at every glance, and such confidence in craft that even if a visitor never heard a sound or rode a ride the sights alone would offer full value for the ticket price.
In the Fifth Century CE, the Apicius collection of Roman recipes coined the phrase, “We eat first with our eyes.” Surveys consistently prove sight is the most valued sense, counting for 80% of the learning, perception, and activities that shape our understanding of the world around us. In corporate communication, vision comes first and marketing follows.
Epic Universe isn't just a visual storytelling feast; it's a metaphor for why powerful physical presence is such a vital part of winning communication.
Show and Tell
What a speaker says and the way they look while saying it require alignment and continuity. When the words don't match the appearance, credibility crumbles. How we work the stage is as important as the message we're up there to deliver.
Picture a leader telling us how excited they are for the new product release without a hint of excitement on their face or in their stance. Or an executive urging us to take powerful action on workplace AI while hiding behind a podium or backing away from the audience. Visible and audible are the literal elements of show and tell.
I thought of this in line for the spectacular Stardust Racers coaster. I do love a good thrill ride, but a typical metal park is all about the track with little story to set up or enhance the experience. A truly epic ride – Indiana Jones Adventure, Escape From Gringotts, Flight of Passage – offers a visual experience along with the wait. By immersing guests in a connective and compelling physical story first, the queue assures that by the time we board we're already fully invested and ready to soar. So it goes in public speaking.
Stand and deliver
Credibility creates confidence. It starts the moment an audience first recognizes a leader's authority, with the visual, not the verbal. Our physical story makes the initial impression.
Enter the space with ownership. Stake a position. Get out from behind that laptop. Suppress the urge to wander, look down, or avoid eye contact. Relax the arms, uncross the feet, keep hands out of pockets, and never clasped behind the back or in front of the genitals. Vary the stance, approach the listener, and close the gap between stage and viewer. Gesture for emphasis and move with purpose. These efforts show confidence that commands attention before uttering a word.
When the strength of physical presence forecasts a strong verbal delivery to follow, the story becomes inevitable, unavoidable, and more valuable.
Bottom Line
I called my wife from Epic Universe and she asked if it was as amazing as everyone says. I told her it's better. "The rides or the park design?" "Yes." Vision leads the message. Environment leads the experience. 80% visual immersion first, 20% other senses second, 100% #corporatestorytelling.
Truly memorable interactions are satisfying on every level. To win hearts and minds, we have to invest as much in how we present ourselves as we do in the slides and scripts that make up our content. Never miss a chance to sell the visual story along with every sentence, idea, and call to action.
