by Dave Wendland, vice president strategic relations, as appeared in Forbes Agency Council
In virtually every situation you encounter, you are a storyteller. Whether during internal meetings, client-facing conversations, or when you’re talking to your family, friends or neighbors, the power of your storytelling invites your audience on a journey.
To make these occasions effective, you must first imagine yourself as a masterful storyteller when you’re communicating an idea and encouraging your audience to do something or feel a certain way. But what are the essential elements of mastering the art of storytelling, and in what ways can you further develop this set of skills?
Telling a compelling story is a combination of art and finesse. From an art standpoint, it is about creatively captivating listeners to establish credibility for yourself and your ideas. It’s about engagement and persuasion. As Plato is believed to have once said, “Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.”
Merriam-Webster defines finesse as the “skillful handling of a situation.” I think finesse is also exhibited through the calmness, poise and confidence an individual exudes. Such a soft skill is not inherited nor taught, but rather embodied and authentic. It’s a unique combination of vulnerability and believability woven together.
I’ve discovered that my stories all share the following four characteristics (even those that I share with my grandchildren as I weave a tale tailored to the circumstances of the day):
- Know Your Audience
It all begins by knowing whom you are speaking with. Infuse your storytelling with words that resonate with your audience’s specific interests. As an example, one of my grandsons loves animals and safaris. So we began a story together about an adventure into the jungle and all of the encounters we had with the wildlife. As you may know, captivating a young child’s attention for any period of time can be monumental—in this case, we created this story for more than 30 minutes.
Another example arose in advance of one of my recent speaking engagements. During the opening reception, I was getting to know the attendees and striking up casual conversations, as I typically do. One gentleman shared the genesis of his product launch and described how it was different from competitive items already in the market. As I listened to him describe his path to discovery, I realized his experience aligned with the topic I had planned to present the following morning, so I made a point of weaving his story into my remarks. The audience could relate, and it opened some terrific ensuing discussions.
- Be Believable
Authenticity matters. Building trust with an audience (whether a single person or a group of individuals) is paramount. Credibility can be lost in a moment if you get called out for half-heartedly trying to deliver your message without relatable experiences or firsthand knowledge.
Even if you are adapting a real-life experience for your story and changing details for reasons of anonymity, the context should remain believable throughout the story. Your credibility will create trust. And this trust will cause listeners to like what they are hearing and respond with genuine interest and engagement.
- Make It Entertaining
True stories can be entertaining and inspiring. They create a pathway to share information that people might not otherwise take the time to learn or seek. The most successful, compelling storytellers know how to engage audiences and keep them interested and involved. Entertaining stories are a surefire way to catch an audience’s attention and maintain it.
Underpinning every good story is an emotional connection. Communicating the message in an entertaining way—with captivating words and imagery—lets listeners visualize themselves within the story. Making an emotional connection can drive change or action.
- Inspire A Response
The best storytelling elicits an emotional response from the audience. With the right message, listeners are drawn into the story and then inspired to do something as a result. They may feel differently about a situation, they may feel compelled to tell others or they may simply feel entertained. Whatever the end response, successful storytelling activates audiences.
When someone listens to a delightful story, they might develop a visual for the story in their mind. That is certainly the case with my grandson. After we finished our adventure safari I mentioned earlier, he couldn’t wait to tell his parents—and anyone else who would listen—all about the animals he “saw” and how comical it was to be face-to-face with these wild creatures. He was truly inspired and activated.
Telling a relevant story is essentially painting a vivid picture. In my experience, nothing creates a closer connection with an audience than delivering a message that is relatable and truly human.
According to Dictionary.com, storytelling is simply “the telling or writing of stories.” A strong storyteller can present a challenging concept or opportunity with heartfelt empathy. Although not all people are natural storytellers, everyone can share an experience. As J.K. Rowling suggests, “There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.”
So, go tell your story—you have an audience awaiting transformation.