One of the simplest, if not best, way to engage an audience is to tell a good story.
Storytelling is as old as the world itself. They were the first – and remain – the primary way people pass down their culture, experiences and expertise to others. Stories inhibit everything important to us. What are the world’s religions, if not stories? Stories are how children learn to talk and read, and are arguably the first time they tap their natural imaginations. We tell and share stories at virtually every important event in our life. In fact, we are our stories to paraphrase the anonymous quote, “Life is nothing more than a series of really good stories.”
Given how important stories are to our lives, it’s no surprise that stories can be as useful and relevant in business as they are when you talk to your best mate.
A few things to start:
- Don’t put storytelling in front of proper preparation, especially your objective and key messages. Your messages in particular will help focus the story.
- Ask yourself: Why are you telling a story? What’s it’s point? An irrelevant story is as useless as a bad presenter.
- Who should the story be about? You? Someone else? Who you select says as much about you as the story itself.
Elements of a Good Story
Here are the individual elements in order needed to tell a good story.
Purpose
First, consider why you are telling the story? What’s your purpose? Are you using it to illustrate a point? Humanise someone (like yourself)?
Good stories connect to something within us. A purpose grounds the story with the audience. If there isn’t a clear purpose – even after you’ve finished – the story will seem irrelevant.
That said, the purpose is rarely said aloud in a storym, and if it is, it’s usually at the end.
Hook
It’s the entrance into the story. If your listener or reader isn’t interested or caught from the beginning in the intrigue of what you’re going to say, they won’t listen to you or read any further than the first 90 seconds.
Protagonist or Lead Character
It’s the lead character who the listener/reader personally connects. Typically, the protagonist is a stereotypical individual of the audience. Or, for a presentation or pitch, it might be one stylised person – such as a profile or persona – who suggests the “everyman” of the primary target audience. I give this person a real name and, if possible, a face to make them human. Stories are built on emotions, and you cannot make statistics emotional. You must talk about people to engage people.
Should the story be about you? Yes, if you’re trying to:
- Humanise yourself
- Demonstrate your values, tell what’s important to you, or show a different side of yourself
- Show you listened
- Reveal you make (and learn) from your mistakes
- Add humour or personality, or lighten up a heavy topic
Sometimes the story should not be about you, such as when you want to:
- See the future by looking at the past
- Show worldliness
- Transcend your industry or category
- Paint a picture of a grand long-term vision or mission
- Show a lack of sensitivity or respect to an audience’s culture or community
- Show what should not happen
Problem
It’s not a story if there’s not a conundrum, a knotty issue that the lead character experiences at the beginning of the story. Sometimes this person knows there’s a problem; oftentimes it’s more interesting if they don’t know they have a problem. Or, sometimes the person doesn’t even know they have a problem.
The “problem” in their mind is usually a mess, and the story helps to bring clarity to the mess. I think of this problem as the Central Problem of my presentation, and I try to elaborate upon the Central Problem by breaking it down into smaller (and simpler) issues which are easier to explain to the audience, to help them digest and understand the problems we face.
Arc
An arc is the connection from the beginning of the story (the hook) to the end (the conclusion). It’s the path of self-discovery that the lead character must travel, to resolve the problem and come out better (or wiser) in the end. Remember, it’s not just the protagonist who learns. Your audience goes on that path with your lead character. Together, they both discover the insights, which to me, is a metaphor for the research I’ve learnt as I gather information to create the presentation in the first place.
Supporting Case of Colorful Characters
A lead character needs company. Dorothy didn’t travel the Yellow Brick Road alone. It would have been too boring. That’s why the cast of people is around the lead person – but more than just to provide companionship, but also to provide perspective. (I also say “colorful” because I think when these secondary audiences are a bit off, unusual or downright hilarious, it makes the story dazzle.) Sometimes these hangers-on are nice, friendly, helpful even. But the really, really good stories have an antagonist, a person who makes life miserable for the lead character. It’s a marvelous way to show the opposite point of view.
Finally, don’t forget too all the other people who influence both the protagonist and antagonist. These supporting people add context as well as options. Now, all that said, also don’t stuff too many people into a story, especially if it’s short.
Climax
This is the point where the lead character’s journey, problem and resolution ram together into the denouement. The outcome is a problem solved. In business presentations, the climax as where strategy, insights and creativity merge together in the Big Idea. It’s the creative explanation, campaign, concept or tactic which gives the target audience the ammunition to improve their life. If it’s done right, this point of the presentation – like the climax itself – needs a little theatre and drama. The feeling you want after the Climax/Big Idea is unveiled is relief, a sigh of satisfaction.
Conclusion
A story ultimately must end, usually with subtle (moral) lesson that links to the purpose, and brings the story to a rewarding close. The conclusion should neatly summarise the story without fuss, not just to remind your audience of the journey they just experienced, but also to make it memorable and compelling. One of the worst things you can do it simply end your story/presentation without a proper finish, if for no other reason it’s the last impression you give your audience.
Stories Can Work Anywhere
You might not believe it, but any business presentation can tell a story. I’ve seen legal clerks and purchasing agents tell a story to get approval for budgets, resources and fiscal plans. There is a direct link between successful executives and their ability to weave a story. Here are three examples.
- For an internal presentation, to leaders in the small business loan division, we created “Dale,” a small business owner. We combined stock photos with a branch manager’s actual desired demo/psycho/graphics of a real customer in his area. Our story was Dale’s inability to get an instant loan on a Saturday so that he might win a life-or-death piece of business for his company. He followed him through his day, specifically how he’d use the bank’s online presence to get approval ASAP.
- For a women’s shoe line, we created 50-year old “Dinah” entirely from a client’s exhaustive demo/psycho/graphics research. Her story revolved around a frustrating day to find a running shoe which didn’t make her feel like she had orthopaedic issues. Here, we took photos of her journey through a Sydney shopping centre to visualise her day.
- For a new whiskey, we used a friend’s actual persona, right down to real pix of him in his favourite pub in Sydney, and his quest for the “perfect Fri night” with his best mates.
To me, the key is as much finding the right character who is 100% credible/believable, as finding a realistic story about how they perceive their lives. I think too when the team has a real sense of the audience – not just a bunch of statistics – their natural energy and personality come out in the presentation.
A few other points, to finish.
The story needs to wrap the entire presentation, from start to end. No part of it can stick out or does not fit. That loose part will sound irrelevant, which can make the story itself sound irrelevant.
As I said, a story is emotion, so consider how to engage with laughter or with fear. The stories that we you connect most to have a bit of risk. Without risk, the presentation seems pale. You want to challenge your audience. It may sound strange, but challenging your audience also makes them listen better.
And finally, to truly make a story come alive, you as the presenter must become a storyteller. You must be expressive, emotive and passionate – which has nothing to do with being professional. You can be both. What you don’t want is a professional story.
So, try and tell your audience a good story. Find the ideal character to make the story relevant. Give the character (and audience) a problem to sort. Add some interesting people to add depth, and unveil a Big Idea which brings your solution, recommendation or hypothesis to life.
And you know the ironic thing? If you can pull it off, you’ll have a great story to tell.
Here is a two-page PDF of the Story Flow and Who Should Be Your Lead Character.
Storytelling is one of those topics everyone has an opinion. What’s yours? Please add your thoughts and comments below.
2 Comments
Andy,
I just saw on LinkedIn that you are moving back to OZ. That link took me to your website where I found this article. It is inspiring! I have no doubt that your skills in the presentation/story telling area are entertaining and informative! Good luck with the move.
Pat Snyder
Pat, what a kind note. Good to hear from you, and hope you’re doing well in Nashville. Andy