As a well-known business motivational speaker, I have seen the power of a well-told story many times. Virtually everyone reading this article (at least in the USA) will be familiar with the following story. After weighing in a 425 pounds, Jared Fogle decided to go on a ‘Subway Diet’. And, over a period of time, dropped to 180 pounds. An amazing feat!
And an equally amazing response by Subway’s marketplace. On January 1st 2000, Subway introduced Jared in a regional ad campaign. On January 3rd, the media mogul Opera Winfrey telephoned, wanting Jared on her show. And, over the next two years, Subway profits jumped a massive 34 percent! Wow!
As all experienced business motivational speakers know – like in the legendary Subway ad – the right story can produce outstanding results. And that’s why it’s worth telling stories in a corporate presentation. And so, as you look for suitable stories to tell your business colleagues and/or prospects, here are a couple of pieces of advice to keep in mind.
Get Clear About The Goal Of Your Presentation
Has your speech been written to inspire your team to greater effort? Or will your speech present the compelling benefits of your new product? An experienced business motivational speaker is clear about the goal of her speech. As a result, suitable stories readily come to mind.
In truth, industry speakers rarely have this kind of clarity around their business presentations. And one of the ways an inexperienced speaker can tell that he or she lacks clarity around a topic is that relevant stories are tough to find. Conversely, when you’re 100% clear about the point you want to convey, you’ll start to spot suitable stories everywhere. In a book, on TV, while chatting with colleagues. (Remember, a wonderfully relevant story can come from a totally unrelated source.) Crucial Point: Don’t forget to write down the story as soon as you find it. Otherwise, I swear, you’ll forget it.
Professional Motivational Business Speakers Make Someone Else The Focus
Fact: An audience doesn’t care about you at all. And so, if all your stories revolve around how clever you are, don’t expect your audience to be inspired and motivated. However, make it about them and they will love you for it.
One final (and important) point: persuasive stories don’t have to be long-winded. A brief story is often more than enough to achieve your objective. When you have total clarity around the goal of your speech, a short (less than ten sentences) story is often more than enough to get your point across.
If you take these quick and easy tips to heart (and act on them) your stories will make you sound like a true business motivational speaker. The best of luck for your next speech.