How can you present financial data in a narrative format that engages your audience?

1 Know your audience

Before you start crafting your narrative, you need to know who you are talking to and what they care about. What is their level of financial literacy? What are their goals and challenges? What are their expectations and questions? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your message, tone, and style to suit their needs and preferences. You want to avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that might confuse or bore them, and use language that resonates with them.

2 Define your purpose

Next, you need to define the purpose of your presentation. What is the main point or message you want to convey? What is the problem or opportunity you are addressing? What is the action or outcome you are seeking? Defining your purpose will help you focus your narrative, structure your data, and highlight the key takeaways. You want to avoid irrelevant or redundant information that might distract or overwhelm your audience, and use data that supports your purpose.

3 Create a story arc

A story arc is a framework that guides your narrative from the beginning to the end. It consists of three main elements: a hook, a body, and a conclusion. A hook is an opening statement that grabs your audience's attention and introduces your topic. A body is the main part of your narrative that presents your data, analysis, and insights. A conclusion is a closing statement that summarizes your main point and calls your audience to action. Creating a story arc will help you organize your narrative, connect your data, and create a flow.

4 Use visuals and examples

Visuals and examples are powerful tools that can help you illustrate your data and make it more memorable and engaging. Visuals can include charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, or images that show your data in a clear and appealing way. Examples can include stories, anecdotes, scenarios, or comparisons that relate your data to real-life situations or familiar concepts. Using visuals and examples will help you simplify your data, emphasize your insights, and appeal to your audience's emotions.

5 Add context and commentary

Context and commentary are essential elements that can help you explain your data and make it more relevant and meaningful. Context can include background information, trends, benchmarks, or comparisons that show how your data fits into the bigger picture or relates to other data. Commentary can include interpretations, implications, recommendations, or questions that show what your data means or what actions or decisions it suggests. Adding context and commentary will help you clarify your data, highlight your value, and engage your audience's curiosity.

6 Practice and revise

Finally, you need to practice and revise your narrative before you present it to your audience. Practicing will help you polish your delivery, check your timing, and anticipate feedback or questions. Revising will help you improve your content, style, and format, and eliminate any errors or gaps. Practicing and revising will help you refine your narrative, boost your confidence, and enhance your impact.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?