If your job involves giving the occasional speech to employees, customers or other stakeholders, it's in your professional interest to figure out a way to make your speeches interesting. Speeches comprised of solely factual information are often anything but interesting, so many speakers add stories to emphasize or illustrate a point. If you tell your story skillfully, you'll draw your listeners in, increasing the effectiveness of your presentation. In the meantime, you'll gain a reputation as an engaging and talented speaker.
Sponsored LinkStart DownloadConvert Any File to a PDF - Word, Jpeg, Gif, Rtf - Free Download!www.fromdoctopdf.com Step 1Keep your story simple so your audience doesn't become overwhelmed trying to process every detail. A short anecdote about a man who entered a bar can be a more effective attention-grabber in a speech than a complex tale involving several characters and multiple locations.
Step 2Stick to the truth. If you don't, your audience will know. While some stories might not be literally true -- after all, that duck didn't really walk into the bar and start talking to the bartender -- the reality of human interactions conveyed by the story should ring true to your audience.
Step 3Create vivid imagery, characters and events that draw upon your listeners' life experiences and beliefs. This encourages your listeners to reach into their imaginations. The result is that your listeners then become co-creators of the story, and are thus fully engaged.
Step 4Add emotion to your stories. Writing for Forbes.com, professional speaker August Turak points out that it's better to move people than to lecture them. Create emotional connections with your listeners by varying the tone and volume of your voice and not being afraid to talk about subjects that sometimes tug at the heartstrings.
Step 5Study great storytellers. Watch routines by standup comedians such as Bill Cosby and George Carlin and identify the qualities that make their stories appealing to so many diverse people. Listen to inspirational and motivational speakers with a close ear for the way they use words, cadence and emotion to get the attention of their audiences.
Step 6Practice telling your story before giving your speech. You'll find out if the story is too long and needs to be shortened and be able to eliminate parts that are excessively wordy. Practicing also helps you remember your story well, giving you the ability to be a good storyteller even when under the pressure of giving a public speech.
Sponsored LinkStart DownloadConvert Any File to a PDF - Word, Jpeg, Gif, Rtf - Free Download!www.fromdoctopdf.com Step 1Keep your story simple so your audience doesn't become overwhelmed trying to process every detail. A short anecdote about a man who entered a bar can be a more effective attention-grabber in a speech than a complex tale involving several characters and multiple locations.
Step 2Stick to the truth. If you don't, your audience will know. While some stories might not be literally true -- after all, that duck didn't really walk into the bar and start talking to the bartender -- the reality of human interactions conveyed by the story should ring true to your audience.
Step 3Create vivid imagery, characters and events that draw upon your listeners' life experiences and beliefs. This encourages your listeners to reach into their imaginations. The result is that your listeners then become co-creators of the story, and are thus fully engaged.
Step 4Add emotion to your stories. Writing for Forbes.com, professional speaker August Turak points out that it's better to move people than to lecture them. Create emotional connections with your listeners by varying the tone and volume of your voice and not being afraid to talk about subjects that sometimes tug at the heartstrings.
Step 5Study great storytellers. Watch routines by standup comedians such as Bill Cosby and George Carlin and identify the qualities that make their stories appealing to so many diverse people. Listen to inspirational and motivational speakers with a close ear for the way they use words, cadence and emotion to get the attention of their audiences.
Step 6Practice telling your story before giving your speech. You'll find out if the story is too long and needs to be shortened and be able to eliminate parts that are excessively wordy. Practicing also helps you remember your story well, giving you the ability to be a good storyteller even when under the pressure of giving a public speech.