Having worked with thousands of people to better communicate in business plus witnessed even more business presentations to date, we at EffectiveCommunication.com.au firmly believe that presentation effectiveness is achieved by doing more than just sharing intellectual statistics, data, facts, figures etc.

Effective presentations include the ability to masterfully convey a story in order to draw audiences into the fray by capturing the essence of characters and the situations they face.

Here are 7 powerful storytelling secrets to further support your business communication and presentation success.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when presenting in front of a busy audience is getting louder in an effort to match the crowd. Rather than elevating one’s volume and level of excitement, we recommend turning it down and relaxing the delivery.

Instead of calming oneself, many presenters get faster and faster. Typically this will only feed the audience [and] not in a good way. It makes them more antic.

It is entirely possible to tell tales very quietly and to effectively draw people in by doing so.

The preferred model of presenting a story is a simple one. Don’t rely too heavily on props. Instead, ensure plenty of heart and soul poured into a story in an effort to bring it life.

You can draw people in and create an entire world. The audience becomes your set, becomes everything around you.”

So, how can one be effective without any props or related stage items? One secret to storytelling success is enthusiasm. Despite what some might think, everyone in the world has the capability to be a good storyteller.

In fact, we all convey tales about absurd or comical happenings to our friends and family all of the time. It’s a matter of taking this sentiment and translating it into more professional forms of storytelling and speaking.

The key to any form of narration in front of an audience is to have a vested interest and enthusiasm for what you’re talking about.
If you really enjoy the story the audience will automatically like what you’re saying.

Another secret to success is relating to the audience. Whether its public speaking or a simple business presentation, creating a relationship with those you’re addressing is important. While mastering this might sound complicated, it’s actually quite simple.

As a storyteller it’s your job to let people know that you’ve been in a situation just like them. One example is David and Goliath - a small man standing next to a nine-foot giant. While the audience hasn’t likely been in this exact predicament, everyone can relate to being a child and standing next to taller adults (or of even facing difficult odds, like David, that they must overcome).

If you can describe what that’s like, your audience will imagine themselves in that situation,

One of the most common pitfalls for anyone looking to deliver a business presentation or speech is a failure to properly prepare. Not only should you know the details of your tale, but one of the secrets to success is practice.

Know the basic outline of your story and just think on the key points. Find the thing that catches that will capture your audiences’ attention. Find a place in the story that will make their heads tilt a little bit.

Practice to draw out important elements, while also ensuring your delivery is fine-tuned.

One of the biggest secrets of telling a good story is showing and not just telling. By this, we mean bringing the readers into the story rather than simply glossing over some of the finer details.

It’s important to show how the characters feel and even to describe how they look. Additional details like the smell or taste of something in the story are also warranted and beneficial.

Nerves are natural, but purposefully put them to the side and own the tales you tell. It’s important to have no inhibitions. Don’t be afraid of your own storytelling.

One old proverb says, “The fear of other people is like a snare or trap”, which is why it is every presenter’s personal responsibility to overcome this reality for so many people.

If a character is loud, then being loud while describing or imitating that person helps add something special to the story. Rather than worrying about looking silly or stupid, you should communicate without inhibitions.


Bottom line… Don’t be afraid to reach out of your presentation comfort zone whilst seeking to ensure that positive messages enter into your work.


All the best with your future business communications.