Using Metaphors

Metaphors are the key to bridging what a prospect/student knows to what they don't know.   Good metaphors are like good jokes.  They are memorable long after the comedian is gone, and the show is over.  They can be a way to differentiate the technology you are pitching as well as making complex concepts much more understandable.

Here is an example of using a metaphor to explain an electrical system:

"An electrical system is like plumbing.  In an electrical system, current is regulated through circuits with capacitors and resistors that eventually power our home electronics.  This is like a plumbing system, where water flows through pipes with pumps and faucets that controls the pressure and quantity of the water that fills our bathtubs."   This metaphor can be used to teach people who are not familiar with electrical systems using the like concept.

The key to the metaphor is the like linkage between the two concepts that compares the unfamiliar concept to one that is more common and easily understandable.  In the above example, the student bridges the concept that capacitors and resistors are like pumps and faucets.   Also, filling bathtubs and powering home electronics have a relationship in this metaphor.

Here is a metaphor I commonly use to describe applications that run on Java application servers:

"Our application runs on top of a Java Enterprise Edition Application Server.  This is like a crane car that runs as a part of a larger train.  In a cargo train, the train engine provides the movement for the whole train, including the power generation and braking while the crane car lifts cargo on/off the other cars on the train.   The crane has a specific, specialized job, but it relies on the engine for moving it around and generating the power it needs.  This relationship is like the application server providing the infrastructure like data access, fault tolerance, and scalability while our application specifically does the heavy lifting of generating the client communications."

Power generation and braking bridges the concepts of data access, fault tolerance, and scalability in relation to the train engine and application server.  Heavy lifting ties the purpose of the specialized technology.  The metaphor can be altered as needed to describe the relationship between the train and the crane and the application server and the application.   I'm surprised how often this sparks discussion within the audience, and they often embellish the metaphor to get points across to other team members.

Complex Metaphors can also be told as stories or prior experiences that build rapport with other people in the room.   I use this to describe why prospects should consider a cloud based solution to address a specific business need:

"Technology historically changes in cycles.  I remember when most computer programs ran up on the mainframe.  The data, application, and green-screen user interface were all controlled up on the host, while the dumb terminals displayed the graphics to the users.   That's not unlike cloud based applications of today, where the information is housed somewhere up on the internet hosted by web/application servers and accessed via web browsers.  It's come full circle again."

Inevitably older folks in the room nod their heads because they can relate to the cycle.   Generally these older folks are in some position of authority, and this opens them up for your product pitch.

Find metaphors that bridge the technology or feature you are describing.   They will help non-technical people understand the complex concepts.   You'll find that good teachers have good metaphors for getting points across to their students.   In a class where you don't understand something ask the instructor "What is that like?" and good teachers will have the metaphors ready to clarify the concept, whether they are specific to another topic in the same subject or an abstract linkage to a similar situation.

Collect metaphors in everyday life.   You'll find that they come in handy in many situations.   The more you use them, the more they will become second nature, and you will be able to come up with them spontaneously in presentations and sales meetings.