In only 3 steps to a convincing storyteller
The art of storytelling has long since ceased to be reserved for the campfire or the bedtime story. With the storytelling method you can turn your presentation into a crisp and unforgettable story. We reveal how!
The power of a good story
Stories cast a magical spell on us. Whether around a campfire in a romantic atmosphere, as a gripping thriller or in the form of a gripping film: good stories stay in our heads for weeks and are readily passed on. Sounds like exactly what you want to achieve with a presentation, doesn't it? So why not integrate storytelling into the next presentation at trade fairs or in sales talks? We are talking about strategic storytelling. And one thing in advance: Everyone can learn the storytelling method and become a good storyteller!
The brain needs stories
In fact, numerous studies from brain research show that we are particularly willing to absorb information when as many senses as possible are involved. Pictorial language, a vivid narrative style and emotional anecdotes encourage listeners to process information more easily and remember the content for a long time. But it goes even further: The human brain needs stories. Because stories give meaning to what is happening around us. Stories help the brain do this:
- Learning from other people
- to share information with others
- to build relationships with other people
- to train social skills
The Art of Storytelling
"Telling a story is like a short documentation of an event that you have experienced so that others can also experience it. This is how Annette Simmons expresses it in her book "The Story Factor". So basically, stories surround us everywhere. They are omnipresent and as old as mankind itself. The art of storytelling is to tell stories consciously and thus make use of the essential advantages of storytelling. But how exactly does this work?
To use the storytelling method successfully in your presentation, you should consider three essential aspects :
- What is your story? This point may seem tricky at first, but actually you just have to keep your eyes open. Collect every bizarre, funny and story-worthy moment in your everyday life - you can make a good story out of each one.
- How do you structure the story? Not every sequence of events is a good story. Edward Morgan Foster has described this aptly in his book "Aspects of the Novel":
The king died, then the queen died. This is a series of events.
The king died, and then the queen died of grief. This is a story that touches people and stays in their memories.
The storytelling presentation technique therefore depends on the correct structure of a presentation. And the most important part of any stirring story is a suspenseful . In order to create it skilfully, you only need five building blocks :
1) an emotionally significant initial situation .
2) A likeable hero as the main character : Identifying with an object is difficult, with a character identification is much easier and you have the audience on your side.
3) An exciting challenge consisting of goals and obstacles that the main character has to overcome. This can also be an antagonist: Every good story needs a villain.
4) A recognizable development and change throughout the story with a before and after effect.
5) The moral of the story': What is the message that should stick in the end? - How do you best convey the story? The story stands, but the supreme discipline is to tell it in a rousing way. The only thing that helps here is practice, practice and practice again. Set pauses, vary speed and speech melody, and take time while speaking in order to better recognize potential for improvement.
The Master of Storytelling
One of the best and most famous storytellers was Apple boss Steve Jobs . The famous speech he gave at Stanford University in 2005 is probably the best storytelling example. In the speech, Jobs told his own life story in just 15 minutes and managed to get the audience on his side. At first Jobs revealed that he dropped out of college. However, he had attended a calligraphy course before that. About ten years later, the Macintosh computer came on the market, which was known for its graphic quality: "If I hadn't taken this course at the time, the Mac wouldn't exist in this form," Jobs told Stanford graduates. Jobs then described how he was able to build a billion-dollar company from his garage company within ten years. The challenges were not neglected in his story either. For example, he was once fired from the company: "That I was once fired was the best thing that could have happened to me," he said. In the end, he realized what he loved so much about his work. The moral of the story'? Even you have to find out what you love! The video has now over 32 million clicks on YouTube.
Better presentations through visual storytelling
One of the probably most important aspects to perfect storytelling are visual elements that support your story. Especially in storytelling it is important to use visual elements and not to overlay the presentation with words and fonts - this distracts from the story and robs it of its impact rather than enhancing it. Images and videos demonstrably convey emotions better and are the icing on the cake of your story. In this interview with our boss himself, you will learn even more background knowledge about why you should now rely on visual elements in presentations - more than ever before.
Conclusion: Storytelling is not only something for ramp sows
Anyone who thinks that storytelling is not "naturally" his thing is way off the mark. To tell a gripping story, you don't have to be a ramp hog. What is important is the right structure and the emotions that you want to convey with the story.
Implement storytelling correctly - with our presentation coaching
In our presentation coaching, we show you, how to put your story in the right light to captivate your audience in the long run. Just click on the picture below and finally get started!
image: ©Adobe/deagreez