Meetings + Events

Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” (Indian Proverb)

Stories are a magical thing. They present an opportunity for you to connect with your client, put them in your shoes and compel them to act.

Yet, what constitutes a good story? In her excel- lent book, The Story Factor, Annette Simmons writes, “In the end, the best story wins. Not the right story, not even the most frequently told story, but the story that means the most to the greatest number of people—the one that is remembered.” Here are three reasons why I believe you should tell a story in your next presentation:

Stories are powerful memory aids

Even those with a ‘poor’ memory will remember a good story. The more specific your story, the more your listeners can visualize and feel the situation, the more memorable it will be. It is the details of a story that help them to remember the con- tent. Include names of the people, dates, detailed thoughts, unique settings and special emotions. In storytelling, less isn’t necessarily better, but try not to make it more than two minutes long. And by the way, don’t say, “I’m going to tell you a story.” Just get into it.

Stories connect you to the audience

Providing that the story you share is relevant to the interests of your client, it will pull them into your world.