A lot of people overcomplicate storytelling – generally believing one of three common misconceptions:

  1. My life isn’t interesting: You think stories are about events. They’re not! Walking your dog can be a better story than climbing Everest if the meaning is relatable.
  2. Stories are just fluff: You’ve been told to stick to the data. But facts without stories are forgettable. Stories are the glue that makes the facts stick to the brain.
  3. I’m an introvert: You don’t need to be loud to be a storyteller. Some of the best storytellers are quiet people who have mastered structure and timing rather than sheer bravado.

Anyone can deliver more memorable and influential presentations via the power of story telling! It all comes down to three simple ingredients: 

Ingredient 1: Be Specific (The 5 Senses + 1 Gamechanger!)

Most people are too general. They say, “I was nervous before the meeting.” 

*yawn*

If you want to know how to tell truly great story that people actually feel, you have to incorporate the five senses – for example:

  1. Sight: “The three interviewers were wearing dark suits, staring at me like I was on trial.”
  2. Sound: “The only thing I could hear was the clicking of a pen. It was louder than my heartbeat.”
  3. Smell: “The room smelled like coffee that had been sitting in the pot for three days.”
  4. Taste: “My mouth was so dry it felt like I was chewing on cardboard.”
  5. Touch: “My palms were so sweaty the paper in my hands began to wrinkle.”

The Bonus Ingredient: Emotion. 

Don’t just describe the room; describe the wave of panic or the feeling that “I don’t belong here.” When you use these types of details, you activate the listener’s mirror neurons. Their brain simulates the experience. They aren’t just listening; they are living it with you.

Ingredient 2: Reliving vs. Reporting

This is where most speakers fail at story telling.

Reporting is just information. It’s flat. It’s the Wikipedia version of your life. 

“Last night I went on stage. I was nervous. Then I gave my talk.”

Reliving is transformation. 

“I’m standing behind the curtain. I can feel the heat of the spotlights. My hands are shaking so hard my notes are rattling.”

How to switch from Reporting to Reliving:

  • Use Present Tense: Don’t say “I was.” Say “I am.”
  • Let Your Body Join In: If you’re talking about your hands shaking, let them shake! 
  • Change Your Energy: If the moment was quiet, speak quietly. If it was intense, let your voice reflect that.

Ingredient 3: Share the Meaning

A story without meaning is just a “campfire tale.” In a presentation setting, your story must be a gift to the audience. 

You must bridge the gap by saying the magic words: 

👉 “The reason I’m telling you this is because…“

This is where you deliver the lesson. Your audience doesn’t just want to know what happened to you; they want to know what it means for them. 

Think of the story as the doorway, and the meaning is the room you’re leading them into.

Bonus Tip: Knowing When to Tell a Story

Mastery is knowing which moment you’re in. 

  • Got 15+ minutes? Tell a story. It builds connection and makes your message stick.
  • In a high-pressure Q&A? Give a straight, precise answer. 

Incorporate these three things the next time you tell a story.

I’m confident you’ll find that people don’t just hear your words, they’ll actually remember them. 😉