When we have a business presentation to deliver, telling stories is not always what springs to mind. Instead, many of us revert to boring powerpoint slides with onerous data, or we use inspirational quotes to try and motivate people.
Yet stories have a natural way of persuading people and allow your message to be memorable so that they take action, rather than just glazing over your stats on a powerpoint deck.
What is strategic storytelling in business?
Business Storytelling refers to using powerful narrative and characters to support your One BIG Message® in order to persuade peers, sell to clients or get an audience to take action.
Why is storytelling so important in business?
Storytelling enables us to communicate facts and ideas in a coherent, relevant and more memorable way. Stories are an integral part of brand strategy, and make an audience feel and relate to an emotion which is one of the key elements of persuasion.
What are the best tips for storytelling in business?
Tip 1: Keep it real
The best storytelling examples draw on real life stories. Things that have happened to you, that you are able to recall and emotionally connect to. What real life employee or customer stories have happened that you can weave into a story and help you communicate your message?
Keep your story authentic and as real as possible to help you build trust. Your audience are more likely to agree to your idea if they trust you.
Tip 2: Trigger emotions on a personal level
Rather than tell your audience what your product can do for them, try to draw on emotions.
For example, if you are trying to persuade your audience to take part in a clinical trial about a new drug that can detect diabetes, use a message that triggers emotions at a more personal level, such as:
“This drug will not only reduce the risk of developing diabetes, but it could also save thousands of lives every year.”
Allow your audience to see the rational and the emotional elements of the transformative journey that you are presenting.
Tip 3: Create tension
Creating tension in your story will allow your message to be more persuasive and keeps your audience engaged at pivotal moments. Create what is known as a “tension gap”: the contrast between where a character in the story wants to be (what could be) and where a character is now (what is happening now).
Then leave it until the very end to resolve the tension to ensure your audience doesn’t lose interest in the middle of your story.
If you’re looking to incorporate more storytelling in your business presentations, download my free eBook, The 6C’s of Strategic Storytelling™ to help you turn your message into an engaging and memorable story.
