In boardrooms, pitches, team meetings and client meetings, it happens every day: presentations are made. Yet many business presentations are... boring, unclear or simply unconvincing.
Not because the speaker/professional is not intelligent. But because they don't tell a story.
In a world where time and attention are scarce, storytelling is becoming increasingly important in business. Not just to captivate, but to lead, persuade and inspire.
In this blog, you will discover why storytelling in business is an indispensable skill, and how to apply it to make your presentation or pitch next level.
In the Netherlands, presenting is still too often seen as something you 'just do on the side'. But how often do we see that poor preparation, unclear messages and uninspiring speeches miss the mark? While speaking and presenting are the way to inform, convince or even seduce people to an idea, a vision or a decision.
Anyone who speaks is asking for their audience's precious time. The least you can do then is to make sure that time is well spent.
Speaking and presenting are skills. Just as cooking is all about technique, timing and the right ingredients, so is an impactful speech. But in business, this is still too often underestimated. That is why we are building a movement to ensure that presenting is no longer an underrated child, but becomes a strategic tool for anyone who really wants to make a difference.
At Speakers Club our mission is not just to make speakers better, but to put the value of speaking and presenting back on the map. And that means we focus (also) on leaders, CEOs, high-impact professionals-people who can make a difference at key moments by communicating really strongly
To create a storytelling in business Storytelling is not just for marketers or creatives. Especially in business, it is the way to make information vivid, understandable and persuasive.
Why?
Stories activate multiple parts of our brain - emotionally as well as rationally.
Stories stick better - Numbers are forgotten, stories we remember.
Stories create connection - and that is the basis of trust.
Whether you are giving a keynote, a sales pitch or an internal presentation, you can start storytelling right away. Here are some practical tips:
Start with a recognisable problem - This attracts attention and activates empathy.
Show the journey, not just the outcome - Tell what obstacles there were and how they were overcome.
Close with change or impact - What is different now? What is the 'moral of the story'?
One of the most powerful and simple storytelling structures is the Story Spine, developed by Kenn Adams and later embraced by Pixar. This structure became the basis for films such as Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Why does it work so well?
Because it gives every story direction:
→ A starting point
→ A turning point
→ A consequence
→ An ending that sticks
The structure is as follows:
Once upon a time...
Every day...
But one day...
Because of that...
Until finally...
And ever since then...
Try this structure for your business presentation:
Not everyone in a leadership position within the organisation is automatically a good speaker. Get someone to present who can really connect. Or make sure the person who will have to speak gets coaching to strengthen the story.
The presentation venue determines impact. Choose a space that suits your story. I give presentations in all kinds of settings, but our clubhouse the Neherlab Auditorium remains a favourite. It is an intimate, atmospheric space where people feel at ease, and where stories really land. The steep stands mean you have real (eye) contact with your audience. So it is easy to read your audience, but also to interact.
Experiment with the shape. Does everything have to be done at once? Or can you plan several sessions? Sometimes it works better to present in smaller groups, so people feel more involved and interaction is possible. And what do you do with your slides? Are they as boring as ever, with lots of bullet points? Turn them into something unique, with today's technology it is almost impossible not to make something beautiful. And again: if you don't know how, call in professionals. We can also help with presentation design support.
Storytelling is not a trick. It is a way of thinking, speaking and connecting. Especially in a world where attention is scarce and trust is hard to gain, the one with the best story wins.
Whether you are a CEO, consultant, team leader or sales professional - if you want to make a difference, you need to learn how to turn your message into a story with impact.
And that starts with realisation: Presenting is not telling what you know. It is making sure the other person feels it, understands it and remembers it
Check the post on Jeroen Roozendaal, board RB and Manager Operations Adwise, how he has achieved next-level performance as a true professional.
Want to learn how to apply storytelling in your presentations? Get in touch or check out our master classes.
Training on a real big stage, in our state-of-the-art auditorium with theatre atmosphere. At peace, work intensively on your presentation skills with expert and speakers 🎤 Perfect environment for strengthening quality in content, design, and delivery.
For whom. Professionals who want to improve their presentation skills. Managers who need to present plans, changes. Anyone who wants to work on his/her presentation skills at top level.
“A woman on a mission” My mission is to break the existing paradigm around presentations and elevate everyone to their next level.
Are you curious to know how to make a memorable presentation can give?
And how to make sure people remember your message?
Here is a handy checklist with tips on attention, movement, memory and more To enhance your presentation. Download the checklist here.
