So You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller... Public Speaking Edition
My husband Mark and I are at a venue about to give a presentation on the new software application we\u2019ve developed. It's a big deal! We\u2019re in our hometown with a room full of people waiting, and this is the first time we\u2019re showing off what we\u2019ve created.
Standing at the front of the room and getting ready to start, we\u2019re plugging in our computers to test everything, and\u2026\xa0
There\u2019s no internet?!?
Our software needs the internet to run so we start panicking.
The audience is getting restless now because we\u2019re late in starting our presentation.\xa0
Trying to maintain our composure, Mark and I decide to switch to our PowerPoint presentation which we\u2019ve worked on for weeks and weeks.
We fire up the projector and\u2026 the light bulb isn\u2019t working and we can\u2019t see our slides!\xa0
People are running around the room now, trying to get the internet up and the projector working. Cue mild-to-escalating freaking out mode.\xa0
So I take Mark behind the curtain, put my hands on his shoulders, and say, \u201cI know everything\u2019s going wrong, and I\u2019ve got your back. Let\u2019s just.. tell our story.\u201d
We come back out to face the audience and tell them the story of how we created our software application, why it matters and what our vision is for its future.\xa0
And\u2026 it turns out to be a huge success!
In this installment of the \u201cSo You Think You Want to Become a Storyteller\u201d series, I dive deep into how public speakers can use storytelling to capture an audience\u2019s attention and answer so many good questions like:
How can a personal story help you build rapport in your audience right away? How does storytelling help make meaty content about dry subject matters in speeches and presentations more relatable and memorable? And how can you tell a story to an audience who shares an experience you\u2019ve never had?
What you will learn in this episode:
- How voice changes, body language, and facial expressions enhance storytelling and audience engagement
- How storytelling helps establish and bolster your credibility
- How stories can be used to inspire action or motivate your audience to make a change
A little about me:
Hi there. I\u2019m Kymberlee.
As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I\u2019ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I\u2019ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn\u2019t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That\u2019s why I\u2019m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people\u2019s lives.
Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You\u2019ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teaching my clients to do the same.
If you think business owners can\u2019t tell stories or don\u2019t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There\u2019s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.
Now it\u2019s your turn... If you\u2019re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you\u2019ve come to the right place.
Links and Resources: