Carol's Corner

Using a good, well placed story can change a boring and mundane presentation into one that captivates the audience and leaves them with a memory to attach to the point.

Jay H Lehr says, “Failure to spend the presentation time wisely. Failure to educate, entertain elucidate, enlighten and most of all failure to maintain attention and interest should be punishable by stoning. There is no excuse for tedium.”

I think perhaps this is a little dramatic with the punishment of stoning, but it got my attention. People are hardwired for stories, always have been and will continue to be that way. Then how can we add in stories that are memorable, that will engage the audience and have them leave remembering the story which in turn helps them remember your key point. a

One key is to know your audience as well as your subject matter. Choose stories of the correct length – in a technical presentation that will be a short anecdote. For a motivational or inspirational speech the story can be longer. However, no matter the length there are key elements to consider. These include relatable to the audience and your topic. If the audience can not relate to the story, it will lose its impact. It needs universal appeal. It has to be relevant – know the reason why you plan to use this story at this time with this point. Ask yourself these questions – does it emphasize the point – does it reinforce it. If not use a different illustration. A couple more important considerations about the story include whether it is irresistible, believable and unforgettable.

These are questions to ask yourself as you pick illustrations for your next presentation. In the next blog post I will address issues of learning to tell that story to make sure it is memorable.

Think of a presentation you suffered through, tempted to fall asleep, text, doodle or otherwise engage yourself since the presenter could not keep your attention? What might have made it better? The material? The method of presenting or maybe the ability of the presenter?

Now think of a session so captivating you wished it did not end at the appointed time. What captured and held your attention? What made it memorable.