by Gilda Bonanno LLC
Well-crafted, relevant stories can be an effective part of your presentation, whether you are presenting to colleagues, clients, prospects or management. They can help you connect with your audience and clearly communicate your message. Stories also make it easier for your audience to remember what you’ve said.
If you rely on coming up with stories in the spur of the moment, however, you often end up with long-winded, irrelevant detours from your presentation. Instead, prepare and practice your stories to avoid confusing and boring your audience.
Here’s a list of 12 techniques you can use to create and deliver interesting and memorable stories that will add life to your presentations.
1. Relate the story to your message
Your message is what you’d like the audience to remember from your presentation. It should be focused and concise. Everything in your presentation should connect to it, including your story. If your story is irrelevant, it can distract and confuse the audience.
2. Think about it from the audience’s point of view
Just as you should tailor your presentation to meet the needs of your particular audience, you should also tailor your story to be meaningful to that audience. For example, when I present to corporate project managers, I usually include a story from my own experience managing a corporate project. When I’m speaking for entrepreneurs, I use a different story that is applicable to them.
3. “The moral of the story is…”
Fairytales, fables and parables are some of the oldest stories we have. They usually end with a variation of, “the moral of the story is…” This format works because it helps drive home the point of the story so the audience can remember it. In your story, substitute "message" or "point" for "moral," and make sure it’s comprehendible and easy to remember.
4. Shorter is better
It’s easier for you to keep the audience’s attention if your story is short and to the point. Exactly how short depends on many factors, including the length of your overall presentation, the topic, etc. But the bottom line is that shorter is better. And how do you know how long it will take? Time yourself telling it a few times and take the average.
5. Inject characters into your story
Don’t just tell what happens. A good story also has unforgettable and intriguing characters. Use characteristics such as a pseudonym, job title, behavior or unique point of view to build real characters. For example, “the young new CEO who wanted to prove himself to the Board” or “the unhappy, long-time customer who always called to complain on Monday morning.”
6. Use specific, vivid details
Grab the audience’s attention by using specific details rather than generalizations. Details gleaned from your five senses can help the audience recreate the story in their minds. For example, if you’re telling the story of a disastrous meeting, describe the sound of glass shattering as you knocked over your water or the pain of the paper cut on your finger as you handed out the meeting materials.
7. Vary your body language and voice
Rather than speaking in a monotone, add energy and color to the story by using your voice and body language (gestures, posture, movement, eye contact, facial expressions) to match the situation or character. This doesn’t have to be extreme - a little variety can go a long way. For example, if the story includes a tired customer service agent, use a quiet, deflated voice, with limited eye contact and few gestures, as contrasted with an angry customer who has a loud voice and arms raised.
8. If in person, use the physical space to tell the story
In addition to building in characters and varying your body language and voice, you can use the physical space to bring the story alive. For example, I stand in one corner of the stage, closest to the audience, when I tell a story about my first piano recital (I was ten years older than the other students and had to start my song over again because I got stuck in the middle of it). Then from wherever I am standing later in the presentation, I can point to that corner of the stage and evoke the emotions and message from that piano recital story.
9. Be prepared for the worst (and best) case scenario
Someone sneezes during your punch line. The door opens loudly just as your story reaches its high point. You finish the story and the audience is still staring blankly at you. It happens. Sometimes an incident outside of your control will interfere with the telling of the story or for whatever reason, the story doesn’t work with this particular audience. Be prepared so a minor problem with the story doesn’t snowball into a major problem with the presentation. And it’s not always negative – sometimes the audience laughs unexpectedly and you “step” on the laughter by continuing to talk.
10. Call back to the story
In improv comedy, a “call-back” is when you refer later in the show to something that you said or did earlier. It becomes almost an inside joke with the audience. Translating this to your presentation means that you repeat a phrase or word from your story at a later point during your presentation. For example, when I discuss presentation skills, I tell a story about a coaching client who learned to overcome her fear of public speaking. I quote her as saying, “I learned that it’s just a skill, which means that I can get better at it.” Then at various points during my presentation, I repeat that line – “it’s just a skill.” By the end, if I ask, “and what do we know about public speaking?” the audience will respond, “it’s just a skill!”
11. Practice telling the story
You can’t expect to use a story successfully without practicing it. Say the words out loud, time it and record it. Listen to the recording and evaluate whether the content is understandable and the message pertinent to your audience. Also evaluate your delivery to make sure your pace, body language and voice match the story. Keep practicing the story until you feel comfortable delivering it with confidence (and without necessarily having to memorize every single word).
12. Keep track of your stories
Don’t expect to remember what happened to you months later. Instead, write down your observations while they are still fresh in your mind. Include enough detail to trigger your memory of what happened and how it felt. And after each presentation, reflect on which stories you used and how they were received, so you know what to change or keep for next time.
The next time you have to give a presentation, use these techniques to include a prepared, succinct and germane story in it. It can engage your audience and help them remember your message.
What stories have you used in your presentations?
© Gilda Bonanno LLC - Gilda Bonanno serves as a trusted advisor to executives and entrepreneurs to transform their communication, presentation and leadership skills. She has worked with companies on 4 continents, from Chicago to Shanghai and Rio to Rome. The instructional videos on her YouTube channel have received over 2 million views and her e-newsletter has reached subscribers in over 45 countries since 2008. For other articles or to receive Gilda's e-newsletter, visit www.gildabonanno.com
P.S. This article first appeared on the 12Most Blog.