You’ve got a strong case. You’ve done the research. Your slides are clean and well-organized. But when you walk out the door, what will they remember?
Here’s the research: facts don’t stick—stories do.
A well-told story gives your message emotional weight. It makes people care, not just understand.
Two basic requirements are clear from the research:
- The hero should be someone who arouses our empathy (preferably the listener themselves!)
- The story should make us FEEL rather than think.
Stories are shared, cultural narratives – we all fall in love, we feel embarrassed, we love to win a prize. These are familiar to people of every culture, language and age. That’s their power.
What are the key elements of a good story?
Stories have a protagonist
The story needs a main character – in a pitch that character is usually you! A challenge you face, a challenge you will overcome with the help of the audience. Or it could be a prospective customer – what problem are THEY facing, that you solve. It may even be a story about an investor or influencer?
Stories have conflict
In storytelling, conflict is the basis of plot. There has to be failure in order to show success.
Stories have structure
Stories must have a beginning, middle and end.
- Beginning: Introduce the main character and the conflict or problem they face.
- Middle: overcoming risks, obstacles put in the way, challenges and objections.
- End: Reveal the solution and how the hero achieves their goal.
Stories have pacing
You can’t just add one element of a story to your presentation (e.g. the challenge) and call it a story. Stories that move people to action make using of timing and pace to drive the action forward.
Don’t just throw in a whole bunch of benefits, you have to build suspense – the famous – “and that’s not all!”. You might choose to tell the story backwards – start with your idea, then how you got there. Or out of order to improve the pace and the surprise. Start with an early fail, back to the struggle, then “and now look!”
When does storytelling work
We know that people are more motivated how an idea will improves lives rather than how it makes and sells goods and services. Higher purpose is easier to explain and tell through a story.
- The story of the founder.
- A story of one employee who made a difference.
- The story of a customer who was able to achieve more.
The story must be true. Sorry, I know it’s a lot easier to make them up. Assume you will be famous one day, and someone WILL call you out on it.
When you want to motivate, persuade, and be remembered, start with a story of human struggle and triumph. It will capture people’s hearts, and then their minds. Good storytelling is information, inspiration and interaction, rolled into one!
