Public Speaking: Storytelling Techniques for Electrifying Presentations

by Akash Karia

If you have too many “gurus”/“catalysts for change”, choose just one of them to represent them all. Add humor to your story to keep your audience engaged. The secret to humor is to create an expectation and then break it. Customize your humor for your audience. Use self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood. Don’t be afraid to poke fun at yourself. Look for humor opportunities within dialogue. Use anchors to make your points memorable. Every time you make a point, anchor it with an anecdote, acronym, activity or analogy. Use analogies and metaphors to make your speech memorable for your audience. Ensure smooth transitions between different parts of your story. Give your audience dialogue/verbalize what they are thinking to build a stronger connection with them. Use beautiful, vivid descriptions to bring the scenes in your stories to life for your audience. Give enough description of your main characters so that your audience can picture them in their heads. Provide specific details to add credibility to your story. Use a quote to add credibility to your speech. Use tough-watch logic to inspire your audience. Inspire people by talking about people who inspire you. Use vocal variety to spice up your speech. Adjust your pitch and pace to reflect the characters voices and the mood of your story. Use the singular you-focus to have a one-on-one conversation with your audience. Keep linking your message and your story to your listeners using you-focused check-ins Take an element ...