The Top 10 Tips on Storytelling
and Making an Impact
by Dr. Clare Albright
Clinical Psychologist and Professional Coach
All great communicators are great storytellers.
Listeners are more open to receiving when they hear the
message delivered in a story format - they can lower
their walls and defenses because the message is coming
to them in a safe and indirect way. Wherever you want to
make an impact, tell a story! .
1. Paint images with your words by describing things
using words related to the five senses.
"The day that my grandmother died the world looked like
a barren place to me. Everything looked brown and
vacant."
2. Use concrete words from the physical world when
speaking, even when talking about invisible things.
For example, an audience would be more touched by the
very real image of 'crying' than the more abstract words
'mourn' or 'grieve.' "I cried on and off for several
months after my grandfather passed away' versus, "I
mourned and grieved for four months when my grandfather
passed away."
3. Create suspense by starting out with a provocative
sentence or a provocative question. Finish up by
delivering the resolution to your original provocative
question.
For instance, "Do you know what the one thing is that
all women hate? Years ago, I met a female police officer
who... And that's how I learned that the one thing that
all women hate is...."
4. Use words that 'sing.'
This would include words that inspire, words that
imitate a sound, words that paint a beautiful picture,
etc. Become an investigator on the prowl to find more
words that have this kind of effect. Examples:
sanctuary, crescendo, seaside, etc.
5. Tell stories when extra emphasis is needed.
Your listeners will remember the story long after they
remember anything else that you may have shared.
6. Use scenes from movies to drive home a point that
you are trying to make.
For example, you could say, "When she found out how much
credit card debt I am in, I felt like the Wizard of Oz
when they pulled back the curtain and revealed the
little old man."
7. Take note of which anecdotes have a powerful
impact on others.
Reuse these anecdotes whenever possible. This type of
anecdote will either move an audience to tears or move
listeners enough to make them talk about the anecdote
later on with you. Why keep a valuable tool in a drawer?
8. Limit the use of personal anecdotes when making a
public presentation.
If you use more than three or four stories about your
own life, your listeners may feel that you are taking
more (their time, attention, etc.) from them than you
are giving to them.
9. Tell stories about the cute things that your
children and animals have done recently.
These anecdotes will brighten up your listeners' day and
warm their hearts!
10. Practice your storytelling skills on a daily
basis.
People will feel nurtured, entertained, and supported by
your effort to become a good storyteller.
