Jazz Up Your Next Presentation with Number Analogies

Presentations are an essential part of the business world, but all too often they're rote, joyless, cookie-cutter exercises in boredom. But don't despair: You don't have to become Robin Williams or Steve Jobs to add a flash of interest to your next presentation. For example, when you mention how many widgets you've sold or ask for a budget increase, you can drop in an entertaining or illuminating comparison to those numbers.

You've moved 20,000 widgets in March? Here's another way to think about that: 20,000 McDonald's Big Macs stacked on top of each other would be as high as 4.31 Eiffel Towers.

So where can you get your hands on those kinds of comparisons? Visit NumberQuotes, where you can enter a number and instantly get a page full of quotes to give your number a sense of scale or perspective.

The site is chock full of data you can apply to your next presentation. It doesn't matter what numbers you're tossing around -- the site gives both exact and approximate values. Enter "2," for example, and get stuff like this:

• $1.96 was the price per pound for creamy peanut butter in 2000
• $2 would buy a caffe latte grande for everyone living in New Amsterdam, Indiana (population 1)

• 39,947: The population of Altamonte Springs, Florida in 2008
• 40,000 pennies laid next to each other would reach as far as 8.33 football fields

Don't forget that we've got a slew of other tips for creating and delivering better presentations:

• 4 Elements of a Powerful Presentation
• Blow Away Your Audience with a Stunning, Animated Presentation (That Doesn't Use PowerPoint)
• Get Over 150 Free PowerPoint Templates
• Tips for Fearing Public Speaking Less Than Death