How can you make your conference talk unforgettable with storytelling?

Stories are one of the primary tools in public speaking. Before going into the stories, you need to get three things straight: Audience (age groups and cultures affect the gesture and your word selection) Purpose of the event (relevance and importance) Time : (depth of your story, it’s richness and the setup) These three allow you to know, gauge the limitations (like topics) you can speak on your stories. Stories do contain various variables and it’s a topic that can go quite deep, such as 5Ws and 1H Why do your audience need to care? How is it relatable ? What’s the key takeaway or an action with this story? What do you want your audience to feel? Finally: true stories do bring the authenticity and do share as if you care.

We can all relate to stories , it is in our childhood, our adult life or work life however the simplicity of the story sometimes makes it more effective and relatable depending on the audience . Kicking off with a story is a great way to engage and sustain your audiences attention. Focusing on key points and linking the story with the main theme solidifies your presentation. Remember to end your talk on an 'action mode' , give the audience something to 'do'.

Relatable is one thing, but immediately absorbable is another. One can relate and elate to the material being given, but unless the audience is electrified and never satisfied with the story and display of information, the speaker might as well walk away and close up shop. Straying away from the topic at hand will inevitably crush the effect desired. Starting with a story right off the bat that grip their immediate attention will help to cement the opening, take hold of the audience’s inquisition, and hit a hole in one, proving the validity and importance of the given subject area. Make sure to connect at the very core of every single person, walking around using eye contact, and speaking directly to hearts and minds.

Understand that when an audience invests valuable time to hear your message, they are still most interested in your message AS IT RELATES TO THEM. Your story should relate to the audience and the main idea of your talk. Take the time to customize your message. I just spoke to a group of compliance officers. They loved hearing a few funny stories about how 'rules and regulations' saved the day.

FACE is a technique I coined and now share with coaching clients. As a former BBC business journalist, I noticed successful on-air guests employ this approach to answer questions compellingly. FACE stands for: Fact: Share an undeniable neutral statement. Numbers aren't essential. Avoid confusing fact with opinion! Add: Expand with more facts, showcasing expertise. Comment: Express your informed opinion as someone knowledgeable and passionate. Showcase your values. Example: (Vital step) Use a real human story to illustrate. It could be a client's success, a personal experience, or a positive outcome. Collect such anecdotes and select the most fitting for your audience. Practice these with friends to enhance impact and clarity.

Indeed, having a structure is fundamentally necessary to an effective and accurate portrayal of the speaker’ ideas. Introducing the characters is necessary, but being careful not to delve too deeply into every one of them at every level until their part of the story comes about.

Body language, body language, body language. Three key things to involve the audience. And don’t forget body language. Did I mention body language? Ok, good.

Passion is necessary, however, don’t start crying just because you’re trying to make it look like you’re a part of the story or material. Use relevant emotional points when the are necessary, but no more. Practice, absolutely. And know the speech inside and out. Don’t just rely on ad-lib and improvisation, even though you might be extremely gifted at it. The audience can get annoyed with facts as much as with carrying on verbally.

I’ve touched on this above, but remember; it is like a symphony of musical words, flowing in and out of the ears of the tentative listeners. And one wrong note can make them walk out of a talk. I have seen it. It’s not a pretty sight.

There should be an element of truth to the story but it doesn’t have to be all true. It’s the message that counts. The message must connect with the audience.