{"id":101399,"date":"2023-04-29T17:36:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-29T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=101399"},"modified":"2025-10-03T11:34:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T15:34:31","slug":"storytelling-in-presentations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/storytelling-in-presentations\/","title":{"rendered":"How Storytelling in Presentations Sets Up & Bolsters a Message"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you give presentations at work? Are you ever called on to make a toast? Does your company have an origin story that needs to be told?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories have an important place in presentations, whether you\u2019re pitching an idea<\/a>, introducing a product, or giving a lecture. In Unleash the Power of Storytelling<\/a><\/em>, Rob Biesenbach provides practical advice for using storytelling in presentations, including your corporate story<\/a> and even a toast or eulogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn how to engage an audience<\/a> by using storytelling in presentations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Editor\u2019s note: This article is part of\u00a0Shortform\u2019s guide to storytelling<\/a>. If you like what you read here, there\u2019s plenty more to check out in the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storytelling in Presentations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A story can capture your audience\u2019s attention before they know who you are<\/a> or what you represent and can persuade them to take the action you want them to take. Telling a great story requires the same elements and calls on the same skills regardless of where you tell the story. And, most of the advice in Unleash the Power of Storytelling<\/em> applies pretty much anywhere you\u2019d find yourself in front of an audience. But, in some situations, many of us could use more guidance. We\u2019ll explain Biesenbach\u2019s advice for using storytelling in presentations in general. Then, we’ll share some recommendations that are specific to explaining the story of your organization and giving a toast or eulogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you give a presentation, Biesenbach recommends that you should start with a story, end with a story, and tell more stories in between (interspersed with a variety of types of information that communicate your message). Begin your presentation with a story that speaks to a problem your audience cares about\u2014a story that sets up and reinforces the message of the presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Include stories throughout the presentation as needed, making sure to vary the kinds of information that you\u2019re presenting to your audience. (For Biesenbach, this tends to involve one story for each section of the presentation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

End your presentation with a story that reinforces your message. Biesenbach explains that it can be particularly effective to tell a story that continues the story you told at the beginning of the presentation by adding a twist, appending a postscript, or telling it from another character\u2019s point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Experts agree that stories make a presentation more effective. In Talk Like TED<\/em><\/a>, Carmine Gallo notes that listeners have an easier time understanding an idea if you use a story to tell them how it works in the real world<\/a>. But not everyone agrees that you need a story at the beginning, middle, and end of a presentation. One design agency points out that when your entire presentation is built around a story<\/a>, you only need that one story. But if you\u2019re working on a presentation that\u2019s about a bigger idea, then it makes sense to have two or three stories to provide examples throughout the presentation, perhaps at the beginning, middle, and end. You might even need more than three stories if you\u2019re tackling a big question.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Company Origin Story<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Biesenbach explains that businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations need an \u201corigin story\u201d that presents their history and purpose and humanizes the people behind the scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re telling a corporate story, you need to tailor the story to what the company can do for the audience<\/strong>. Like any good story, this kind of story<\/a> needs a relatable character and a clear theme. Biesenbach notes you should pick just one value proposition<\/a> to focus on rather than trying to address everything the company does. Many company origin stories follow a familiar pattern, which you can adapt: <\/p>\n\n\n\n