Value: A Bit LESS About Numbers?

How many digits of Pi do you remember?

How many digits of Pi do you utilice?!

 

The math constant π (Pi) has an approximate value of: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197…

 

For many calculations we round this down to 3.14, but for a quick estimate of a circle’s circumference or area we simply use 3. Why? Because the single digit is much easier to remember and use!

In our doctor-patient interactions example (see previous posts below), the actual first-year net gain was $11,738,000. This is the correct number, but it is hard to remember (try saying it rapidly several times…!).

$11.7 million is quite a bit easier and saying ~$12 million is even more so.

Along similar lines, if you found that your prospect could redeploy 5.27 FTE to other, more productive tasks, you have several choices of what to communicate:

• 27 is the exact number and is generally what you should use in detailed cost-benefit calculations.
• 25 (o 5¼) es más fácil de articular y comprender.
• Redondear a 5 es la forma más sencilla y representa un enfoque seguro y conservador.

En la mayoría de las situaciones, los números simples son el enfoque recomendado. Sin embargo, puede haber situaciones en las que el impacto de un número muy concreto is particularly memorable and effective.

For example, in a estudiar de la eficacia de las demostraciones, los autores analizaron 67.149 grabaciones de demostraciones. Al presentar los resultados del estudio, decir el número exacto de 67.149 pareció tener más impacto que redondearlo a "unas sesenta y siete mil".

Bonus: Para un libro estupendo sobre la comunicación de números, lea Hacer que los números cuenten by Chip Heath and Karl Starr. Many of the ideas in this series of posts are drawn from their work.

Double Bonus: Chip and his brother Dan also wrote that seminal book on storytelling, Hecho para pegarque debería ser de lectura obligatoria para todos los que trabajan de cara al cliente.

 

And here are the other posts in this series so far – enjoy!

https://greatdemo.com/calculating-value-numbers-you-should-know/

https://greatdemo.com/which-vendor-statement-has-more-impact/

https://greatdemo.com/arithmancy-the-magic-of-numbers/

https://greatdemo.com/making-monetary-numbers-tangible/

https://greatdemo.com/value-statements-need-to-align-with-job-title/

https://greatdemo.com/annualize-your-value-statements/