How to Craft that Compelling Story for your Presentation

Public speakers have shared this trope many times – it never hurts to add a story into your presentation. There is a temptation to focus on data, statistics and credibility content, but I firmly believe that every presentation has a space for a story. From a high-impact business presentation to a simple informative speech, adding stories will help boost the chances of creating a compelling, intoxicating and engaging presentation.

Every speaker, whether consciously or not, hopes to connect and reach out to their audience. Packing your slides with graphs and charts will not help you with that! Carmine Gallo, author of Talk Like TED (Macmillan, 2014) (page 50) referred to experiments by Uri Hasson, an assistant professor of psychology at Princeton University, in highlighting the phenomenon of “brain-to-brain coupling”, or as Carmine succinctly puts it, “sync up” between the storyteller’s and listeners’ brains. Stories are accordingly a powerful tool in incepting ideas, emotions and concepts into your audience’s mind.

While that point is obvious, the common response I hear from my students is consistent – I don’t have a good story. My response is far from obvious – everyone has a story; you just need to craft it. Here are some easy steps on how you too, can find and craft your compelling stories.

Step #1: Create Compelling Scenes and Characters

The first trick in drawing your audience in is to create a vivid and textured landscape. Don’t bother scrimping and saving on the details of your speech. Something as straightforward as “I woke up late this morning” can be expanded into a layered adventure of how you struggled with ten alarms and the seductive pull of your bed! You can start by identifying the characters to your story and the scene they are in. From there, start weaving the additional details about both the characters and the scene. The use of interrogative pronouns (5Ws, 1H – Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) is an effective method of drawing out the finer details of your story.

Beyond superficial description, start unpacking the thought processes and emotions of your characters. Bring your audience members on a journey into the mind of your characters and guide them into experiencing the same emotional changes your characters will go through. The use of sign-posting phrases (such as “put yourself in my shoes” or “picture this with me”) is one way you can invite your audience to follow you into this compelling world you are creating.

Step #2: Enhance Your Struggle

A consistently positive and linear story is unlikely to excite your audience members. Powerful speakers know how to weave in a conflict into their stories. This method is a set-up for the learning point or the main message the audience can derive from the overcoming of the conflict. A conflict is a transformative challenge your characters face and must overcome before they reach that happy ending in your story. By adding a conflict, you create tension in your story between your characters and the ending the audience members hope they get.

In adding a conflict, go beyond simply stating a challenge. Similar to setting a scene, expand on the details surrounding the challenge and the thought processes your character goes through as they try to navigate that same challenge. Carmine refers, for example, to the ability of the storyteller to create empathy. You should aim to make your audience feel for the characters by emphasising and enhancing the details of the struggle they had to face.

Step #3: Give Your Audience the Requisite Respite

Finally, after you have brought your audience to the highest tension point in your story (or what we refer to as the climax), remember to bring your audience back down for their necessary respite. For a public speaker, a story is only as effective as its main message or learning point. If you get too carried away in the development of your story without having the audience in mind, you may forget to ‘finish the job’ by bringing your audience back home to your main message. Always remember to have that strong and effective conclusion or resolution for your characters, especially before digesting the main message of your story.

In Summary…

Stories are not just for bedtime or personal speeches – a story is an underrated tool in any presentation you give. The next time you have an opportunity to draft a presentation, surprise and engage your audience by weaving in an effective and appropriate story!

PS: If you’re thinking of adding humour to your speech/ story – check out this YouTube video:

Why The Smarter Your Audience, The Easier To Be Humorous | #SpeakingTips 001

If you’re keen to take your storytelling and presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation or kids class presentation) to the next level so that you may craft and tell effective stories with flair and charisma, feel free to check out our offerings below!

For more about Public Speaking Courses for Kids/ Children:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/

For more about Public Speaking Courses for Adults:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/