Everyone loves a good story. Everyday books are read, movies are watched, and events of the afternoon are shared over the dinner table. Stories are an intrinsic part of our experience as people. It’s a vital part of how we communicate with one another.
Remember this fundamental truth when you’re set to give your next presentation. Your presentation content has to be more than just a barrage of information and numerical data. Make your presentation interesting and relatable. There is nothing more compelling than a good story. It’s the secret recipe you’re missing in your presentation content.
Keep these things in mind when you’re working on your presentation content:
1.) Every story has a beginning, middle, and end
Your presentation content should follow a clear and organized structure.
Just as Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, had a great fall, and was unable to be put back together by the King’s men, your presentation content should be presented in a pattern that’s familiar to everyone.
Start with an introduction, delve into the issues after that, and then end with a summary and conclusion.
2.) Introduce your topic with an anecdote or two
Let your audience see that there’s a genuine and relatable story behind what you’re presenting. Don’t just settle for being informative.
Show your audience why the information you’re presenting is important to them. Tell them a few stories that will allow them to relate your topic to their own experiences.
3.) Create context for data
Cold, hard facts can seem impersonal at times, and thus a bit alienating. In order to pull your audience into the main part of your presentation content, you have to give them some context.
When presenting any kind of data, don’t focus too much on the figures. Instead, focus on explaining what they mean and where they fall into your storyline.
4.) Try for an emotional response
Don’t be afraid to show some heart. Try your best to evoke the emotions of your audience in a positive way. Illustrate your points with heart-warming examples, or tell a few jokes as you go along your presentation.
Go for what feels natural to you, your topic, and the people in the audience.
Conclusion
Delivering a pitch, no matter how formal, doesn’t need to be boring. Using storytelling as a creative means to leverage your pitch can attract you a wider range of audiences and introduce your brand to a bigger public.
It can also serve a double purpose as something to give structure to your presentation with a solid hook, line, and sinker. Organize your content with a story to deliver in mind, and you’ll be surprised how much easier everything else will follow.
Need help crafting your presentation story? Contact our SlideGenius experts today for a free quote!
Featured Image: matryosha via Flickr