The Power Of Memorable Stories. Three Easy Steps.
With meeting fatigue prevailing globally, storytelling can hook and retain weary audiences in helpful ways — and save us time. Why? Because data helps us push out information to our audience and storytelling helps pull them in. The late cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner found we’re 22 times more likely to remember a fact when the communicator incorporates a story. (Doing so humanizes our message. Meanwhile, combining data with story satisfies our left and right brain thinking, the research finds.) But how to tell stories well? This post outlines three ways to hook your audience through memorable (and strategic) storytelling — and within a few minutes.
Ensure your story has legs
“If you don’t dig deep into your soul, you won’t have legs.” So said Jack (Bradley Cooper) to Ally (Lady Gaga) as she moved from country ballads to pop stardom. This memorable quote from ‘A Star is Born’ can apply to storytelling. If we don’t bring in substance, i.e. real story and lessons, our story comes across as trite, self-serving, and promotional. To get there:
- Think of a life-changing moment, a crossroads, or an ‘a-ha’ moment where your path (and purpose) felt clearer.
- Ignore fears of others judging you. (Some might. Most won’t.) When I ask presenters what they admire most in gifted presenters, they mention a willingness to stay open, frank, and vulnerable. Stories help you become that presenter.
- Ensure the language stays as bold (and accessible and open) as the idea.
Employ clear, understandable language
Sometimes a story topic feels memorable, but the language the storyteller uses remains cautious, business-like, and therefore, stale and one-dimensional. To check your language remains personable and true, apply this small checklist:
- Do I employ plain vs. complicated language? Think of the wise advice in the Economist’s indispensable Style Guide: Never use a long word when a short word will do. Apply this gem to your storytelling. Also, long words (adverbs and camouflaged verbs) can cause us to trip and falter. (As you practice, notice where you stumble. Replace and modify annoying language.)
- Do I sound conversational, as though I’m speaking to a dear friend? If so, great! You align with Sir Richard Branson’s terrific advice to speak to your audience as though they’re a visiting pal in your home. If not, revise.
- Do I remove all jargon and formal language? Risk sounding stuffy and off-putting and therefore, watering down the beauty of your story. Keep things plain. Trust: Less becomes more.
Use a framework. Ramble less.
Often the biggest challenge for storytellers becomes staying aligned with the topic you promised to cover. Also, I notice presenters (including me) can get bogged down in unnecessary situational details. Or, we forget to share what results from any challenge we encounter. I’ve found that by hugging a small framework, we finish up within a minute or two — and keep our listeners hooked and uplifted until the end.
This framework I share below I learned at Kenan-Flagler Business School where I taught business communication. (We can thank Dr. Heidi Schultz for this terrific tool.) I ask storytellers to view the prompts as containing two book ends. Then, you’ve a beginning, a middle, and an end. These steps become the familiar components we find within effective stories. The framework follows:
- An overarching business point. (1–2 lines. Keep it short — like a book title.)
- A beginning outlining a situation — here’s where the story starts.
- A challenge — the middle of the story. Here’s what rocks the status quo.
- The results — what emerged from the challenge — how you pulled through.
- A ‘so what’ statement tying the story together and moving from you to the larger audience/community. (Move from the micro to macro within 1–2 sentences for optimum impact.)
With framework to control length and provide structure, tips to keep the language lively, personable, and substantial, your next story will dazzle your audience. With that, your informative (or persuasive) presentation can only become more memorable, compelling, and richer. You might inspire others to tell stories, too. Viva storytelling! Let’s start a movement!
Debbi coaches and trains leaders all over the globe to become more confident and authentic communicators, and with that, more concise, too. From Wisconsin, she owns and runs Hanging Rock Coaching and is a communications specialist fellow coach with BetterUp.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.