Did you know that more people remember a good story than most facts and figures you can provide during a presentation or conversation? Think about the last great conversation you had with someone. You will probably find that one of you told a good story even if it was a story about your life.

Stories are powerful. They can be used to provide context to the information being shared or to the key point. Stories allow people to suspend their beliefs and be drawn into the moment and situation being described. When the story is about another person and their struggles and how they overcame them, it allows us to experience a similar success because we have been in similar circumstances too. The story though allows us to step away from our own situation and see it at arms length in a non-personally threating fashion. This allows us to learn and grow from the story.

Many excellent presenters and public speakers understand the power of story telling and are talented at it. Many people who are the life of the party are such because they too are talented story tellers. A good story allows the audience to be drawn into the moment and get lost out of the rut of their own day to day immersing themselves completely. It is an excellent way to engage the audience and bring them together. The story provides the audience with a common experience.

Good stories not only engage, they provide an experience, they bring the audience together, they drive the key point home, and are memorable.

Dr. Karina

A good story is emotional. It has a challenge to be overcome or a lesson to learn. The protagonist faces some adversity or even a villain. There might be a hero in the story too. We all love stories about the human struggle and how to over come that struggle. Subconsciously we empathize because we too have been there some how some way. This allows us to connect with the story. It also gives us hope that we too can overcome whatever comes our way.

Stories should be selected that are appropriate for the audience so they can associate with them. You wouldn’t use a foot ball analogy or story with a group full of quilters and crafter, but it might fly over well with a group of cheerleaders. The audience needs to be able to connect with the story.

The best stories also contain a lesson or morale. You use stories to help illustrate your point, teach by example, or for a specific purpose in order to enhance the message being delivered via your presentation. The story helps keep the audience engaged and can also be used to transform the energy in the room. The right story will be memorable and will help the audience recall the main point long after the session.

Picking the right story is critical. There are so many factors to consider such as audience, purpose, lesson, emotion, addressing learning styles, and more. Taking the time to pick the right story and thinking about how it might be received by the audience will ensure that you are able to get your message across effectively.

Complement your story with a great image and a quote. You have spent a long time preparing and telling your story. Selecting an appropriate image which support the emotion and feeling that you want the story to convey also helps people connect with and remember the story. Finally a quote, which focuses on the key point in the story helps bring it all together into one short takeaway message. So tell a story in your next presentation or meeting and watch some magic happen.