Your analysis is only as effective as its packaging.

That's what Cole Knafflic, author of Storytelling with Data, taught me. No one cares about your analysis, no matter how good it is, unless it's EASY to digest.

Here are 5 easy ways to storytell with data like a pro 👇

1. Build with Audience in Mind: Your presentation and packaging should change based on who you are talking to. **👔 Your Boss != Your Co-Workers != The Entire Department.

2. Visual Contrast: Use color sparingly in data viz to guide your audience's attention. **🎨 Use gray often with one supporting color like blue

3. Clear Labels: Ensure your graphs are clearly labeled, so the audience knows exactly what to look for  📊 Title, axis, important data points

4. Simplicity: Avoid cluttered visuals that can overwhelm the viewer. Focus on the essential message. **🤪 No 3D, no grid-lines, label data directly, no tick marks, etc

5. Storytelling Elements: Incorporate a narrative structure to your presentation, guiding your audience through the analysis in a logical sequence. 🎬 Make it feel like a memorable movie, not a yawn-inducing PowerPoint

These 5 will get you on your way.

But if you want even more easy ways to become a data storytelling wizard, listen to my full interview with Cole.

And consider buying her book, Storytelling with Data. It's one of the first data books I ever purchased and read.