Telling a Good Story Makes for Better Presentations

There should be a good story behind every business presentation and hopefully, a good storyteller too.

Whether you are simply making a speech to your extended family at your uncle's wedding or you are trying to persuade the venture capitalists to invest a $1M in your new company, the rules are the same.

Here are some tips to remember to make your presentation not only more convincing but also more memorable.

• Always have a great opening - an attention getter. This can be either a one liner or a visual joke


• Look for and play on the emotion in the story - Look beyond the facts and figures. When telling a good story you need the audience to be involved. So, draw them in.


• Show them the proof - A picture paints a thousand words and an interactive demonstration is more convincing than any picture.


• Repetition is re-enforcement - Don't be afraid to state the same thing in different ways or to simply re-state your argument. It is convincing and shows focus.


• Use Silence as a speaking tool - Don't forget to pause occasionally and wait for the audience to breath and think for a few seconds. Some people need time to allow the penny to drop and it also allows you to gather your senses for the next slide.


• Remember to vary the tempo - Be aware of the time you are taking and the pace you are setting. This will keep your audience both awake and engaged.


• Maintain a dialogue with your audience - You are not in a play. You have the leading role in an interactive presentation that allows for questions, comments and active participation betwen you and your audience.


• Actions speak louder than words - Use your arms, legs and facial gestures to illustrate the dialogue. You are not a mime but you want to be the focus of attention.


• Establish the interactive nature of your talk - Let your audience know the rules of interaction from the start and make it comfortable for people to speak and ask questions.


• Don't speak to quietly or too quickly - Yes, you are nervous and you have so much to say and so little time to fit it all in. So, the temptation is to talk fast and set off at a cracking pace. Your audience will very quickly tire of keeping up with you and fall asleep.


• Don't preach or try to teach a grown-up audience - The primary goal is to be persuasive when introducing your audience to new information, not to accuse, nag and criticise.


• Always have a well prepared story to tell - To be truly convincing in a presentation you need to appear confident and well practised in your delivery. If you are trying to make it up as you go along, the mob will devour you.

I hope these few words, tips and hints are of some benefit to you when next you start to prepare for a public speaking event or an in-house presentation.

If you have enjoyed what we talked about and think you need more information or want really strong presentation strategies, contact the experts Lisa.Lipkin@storystrategies.net

Lisa is a very experienced, professional speaker and communications counseller from New York but we also enjoy her company and good advice, in the European capitals, where she speaks to global scientific, pharmaceutical and IT organisations.