Become a Better Presentation Storyteller

The hallmark of a great presentation is not only the topic or the design of your slides.

It’s also how memorable and engaging your presentation is. The more memorable your presentation, the better the chances of your audience taking the desired action.

A great way to make your presentations more engaging and memorable is to use storytelling. But what exactly is storytelling in business and marketing? And how can you use storytelling in your presentations? We’ll answer those questions in this guide.

What Is Storytelling in Business & Marketing?

Storytelling is the act of telling stories, using facts and narrative to share your message. The purpose behind storytelling in business and marketing is to connect with your audience and motivate or inspire them to take action.

Storytelling adds a human element to your brand. It helps your audience understand why they should care about your products or services. You can use video, images, and written content for the purposes of storytelling.

You can also use storytelling across all your marketing channels from the content on your website, YouTube channel, or podcast to your social media and printed marketing materials. Keep reading to learn more about how to be a good storyteller.

Why Storytelling Works

There are several reasons why storytelling is so effective:

• Stories make it easy to explain difficult or abstract concepts. You can use a story to relate a new or abstract idea to ideas that are already familiar to your audience. Apple is a great example of a brand that uses stories and everyday experiences to explain computers and technology in terms everyone can understand instead of relying on complicated industry jargon.

• Stories bring us together. No matter what the story is, all of us can often relate to at least one character in the story. When we find a common thread to relate to, it’s easier to establish a sense of community and trust.

• Stories inspire action. How many times have you heard a story, watched a movie, or read a book and felt inspired to take action? Stories tap into our emotions. When you can successfully do this as a business, you’ll have an easier time converting your audience into buyers.

5 Tips for How to Be a Better Storyteller

Storytelling is as old as time itself. While anyone can tell a story, not everyone is a born storyteller. Luckily, we’ve got a few quick tips to help you become better at storytelling:

1. Focus on Your Audience

The most important tip is to focus on your audience and really get to know them. While you won’t become best friends with them just for the sake of your presentation, understanding their interests, desires, and struggles will help you tailor your message and understand what motivates them to take action.

2. Appeal to the Senses

Visuals are an important part of any presentation. However, you shouldn’t rely on visuals alone. Use your words to appeal to all of the senses throughout your story. This will create a more engaging experience and make your presentation more memorable.

3. Go Back to Pen and Paper

Resist the urge to create your story and presentation directly in PowerPoint or Keynote. Instead, consider using pen and paper to draft the initial outline of your presentation.

By using pen and paper first, you’ll focus on the story without being distracted by data and graphs. Once you have the initial story draft, you can refine it in your presentation software of choice.

4. Always Be on the Lookout for Stories

Mastering storytelling means always being on the lookout for stories. Keep a small notebook or use an app on your phone to quickly jot down interesting stories. Once you train your mind to look for stories, you’ll see them everywhere!

5. Practice Telling Stories

The only way to improve is to practice. Once you start collecting stories, it’s essential to practice telling them. You can record yourself narrating stories to evaluate your performance, which will help reduce your fear of public speaking and improve your delivery.

7 Storytelling Techniques You Can Use for Engaging Presentations

Now that you know what storytelling is and why it’s effective, let’s explore some practical techniques for engaging presentations:

1. Overcome Adversity

One powerful storytelling technique centers on overcoming adversity. This involves a hero facing challenges and going on a journey to overcome obstacles. After enduring trials, they often return with wisdom or a reward. This technique is also known as the monomyth.

For example, in this TedTalk by Leslie Morgan Steiner, she shares her journey of finding the courage to leave her abusive spouse.

2. Start in the Middle

While most stories logically begin at the start, consider starting in the middle to immediately engage your audience. By dropping them into the heart of the matter and then circling back, you can captivate their attention.

In Zak Ebrahim’s TedTalk, he grabs attention by revealing his father’s involvement in a significant event before sharing the story of his upbringing.

3. Show and Tell

While the adage suggests showing rather than telling, consider a combination of both to engage your audience. In Richard Turere’s TedTalk, a 12-year-old boy from Kenya uses visuals effectively to share his story about an invention that protects his family’s cattle from lions.

4. Disrupt the Pattern

Patterns can be predictable and boring. Disrupt this by introducing unexpected elements, such as a shocking statistic. Bill Gates, in his talk on malaria, exemplifies this by releasing mosquitoes into the audience.

5. Connect the Disconnected

Connect seemingly unrelated ideas through storytelling. This approach allows you to tell multiple stories while reinforcing your central message. Simon Sinek’s TedTalk is a great example, using stories about Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright Brothers to illustrate great leadership.

6. Compare and Contrast

Use storytelling to paint a vivid picture and contrast it with its opposite. This technique highlights societal issues and motivates the audience. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech contrasts an ideal society with the struggles of racism.

7. Resolve the Conflict

A hallmark of great stories is the introduction and resolution of conflict. Audiences are naturally drawn to narratives that conclude with a sense of closure or positivity. Ending on a high note helps your audience remember your presentation favorably and encourages sharing.

Create Better Presentations With the Help of Storytelling

You’ve just learned how to effectively incorporate storytelling into your presentations. With the tips outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing your presentation skills and making your content more memorable.

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