How can you use storytelling to make your presentation engaging and memorable?

Telling a story during a presentation is a key way to make the topic of the presentation more memorable and impactful. But the biggest benefit is that stories help to inspire action. A well told story can shift a mindset or spark motivation in your listeners.

Contar histórias é uma das ferramentas mais poderosas que temos para criar conexão genuína. No universo do T&D, por exemplo, histórias transformam dados em experiências, treinamentos em jornadas e profissionais em protagonistas do próprio desenvolvimento. Quando bem utilizadas, elas não apenas transmitem conhecimento — elas inspiram ação.

Stories can be derived from our day to day life situations. It could range from travel experiences to how you got your promotion. While talking about your growth, one should mention the challenges they overcome.

Great stories are hiding in plain sight—your customer calls, your own journey, your team’s daily wins. Start collecting them like case studies. Ask yourself: When did I help a client overcome a major pain point? What objections have I successfully turned around with a story? What personal experience aligns with the message I’m trying to communicate? You don’t need dramatic stories. A simple before-and-after moment—where a client’s problem was resolved through your support—is gold. Authenticity beats flash every time.

Finding stories starts with observation—they’re everywhere. Mine your own experiences (challenges, lessons, 'aha' moments), listen closely to clients’ struggles or successes, study industry trends for case studies, or research history and culture for universal patterns. The key is to collect these moments with intention, asking: 'Why does this matter? Who needs to hear it? Stories aren’t manufactured—they unfold around us. The art lies in choosing the right one—relevant, authentic, and timed for emotional impact. A well-placed story, however small, can reframe problems, shift mindsets, or inspire action. When purpose and authenticity align, even the simplest story leaves an indelible mark.

A veces creemos que para contar buenas historias necesitamos vidas extraordinarias. Pero la verdad es que las historias que más inspiran nacen del día a día. Una conversación incómoda, una frase al pasar, un momento de silencio… todo eso puede ser una historia si estás presente. No se trata de inventar, sino de vivir con atención. De mirar con el corazón abierto y reconocer que en lo simple también hay sabiduría. Tu historia esa que estás viviendo hoy puede ser justo lo que alguien necesita para creer, avanzar o sanar.

Want to be more creative? Quiz yourself, any funny circumstance, any amazing fact, any rational conclusion can be used as the base for a story. For my last presentation, I walked on stage with a Negroni cocktail in my hand, after a while of surprise especially being 10:30 in the morning, I explained what a round and simple cocktail this is, as long as you make it with exactly the same amount of it’s three ingredients. After that, explaining how a well balanced team is key to success, became not only fun, but extremely memorable. Challenge yourself to associate ideas, and if not, ask ChatGPT to do it for you…

Think of stories as mini-movies: Act 1: The challenge (what problem existed) Act 2: The journey (how you or the client navigated it) Act 3: The outcome (what changed and why it matters) Structure matters because it keeps your audience engaged. It’s like guiding them through a journey where they understand the stakes, the transformation, and most importantly, how they fit in as the next success story.

Start off from introducing the character, mostly the narrator, this helps build trust. Then narrate on the exact incidence. Avoid unnecessary details, as the audience might lose interest. Mention the process of arriving to a particular decision.

O storytelling foi essencial para a criação de jornadas e consequente definição do novo portfólio de produtos desenvolvido na transformação digital de uma empresa do mercado financeiro nos últimos anos. Um trabalho que deu clareza tanto quanto o estudo de GAPs em relação ao mercado.

Una metodología fácil para estructurar una historia es el método STAR: S: Situación T: Tarea A: Acción R: Resultado este esquema permite seguir de manera lógica un relato, sobre todo en el ámbito técnico.

Pra mim, uma boa história começa simples: contexto, desafio, ação e resultado. Nada muito ensaiado, só precisa ser real. Pode ser algo que vivi com um cliente, uma situação do dia a dia ou até um insight de um livro. O segredo é conectar com quem está ouvindo. Quando a pessoa se vê na história, ela presta atenção... e lembra.

Two ideas I find useful in delivering a memorable presentation in the form of a story. - You need to clearly define the problem, so your audience knows what is being delt with. - You also need to paint the stakes. Your audience needs to know what happens when the problem is solved, and when it's not. This will hook them to listen on. Because they'd want to know what really happens in the end.

Practice delivering your stories confidently and authentically. Use expressive language and vary your tone to convey emotions effectively. Incorporate appropriate body language and eye contact to enhance connection with your audience.

Stressing on the right words is the key to a great narrative. Story-telling should point out details and consequences. The audience empathizes with the narrator if this is done well.

Delivery can make or break a story. Speak with energy, but don’t overact—authenticity is key. Vary your tone to emphasize emotions, slow down for the “aha” moments, and don’t be afraid to pause. Pauses add weight. Eye contact (or camera presence, if virtual), genuine enthusiasm, and conversational pacing will pull people in. Rehearsing helps, but always aim to sound natural—like you’re sharing something that matters to you, because it should.

An engaging story combines vivid language and delivery techniques to captivate audiences. Descriptive details, expressive delivery, and clear structure help connect stories to key messages, making them impactful and memorable.

Storytelling doesn’t replace data—it frames it. A powerful technique is to lead with a story and follow with facts. For example: "A logistics manager once told me he spent over 10 hours a week juggling outdated tracking spreadsheets. After implementing our platform, not only did he cut that time by 80%, but his team saw a 40% drop in errors." Now the stats matter more because they have a human context. That balance builds both emotional buy-in and logical credibility.

We can create basic view of the required data. Too many numbers and too much paperwork can make it difficult to understand and analyse.

A combinação com dados bem apresentados que sustenta a credibilidade. O segredo está no ritmo: introduza o tema com uma história curta e contextualizada, traga dados para ancorar a lógica e feche com um insight que una os dois. Ferramenta que uso: estrutura “Situação - Complicação - Resolução - Prova”. Ajuda a não perder o foco e entrega o equilíbrio perfeito entre emoção e razão.

Once, I received a piece of feedback that I’ve never forgotten: data alone wasn’t enough to show the transformation we were driving. Only the people impacted could truly tell that story. Since then, every time I look at a number, I ask myself: What does this mean in someone’s life? What behavior change or opportunity does it reflect? That’s how I learned that data informs, but stories connect — and it’s in the combination of both that we build trust, give meaning to our work, and mobilize more people around the cause.

I in this respect it takes two for tango.. A mere story without facts is just a tale while numbers alone bore the audience to dead. But convincing numbers/facts dressed in an interesting story will always win attention!

Storytelling is a skill — and like any skill, it takes practice and feedback. After recording myself, I use the “Listen, Look, Learn” method: 1️⃣ Listen to your pitch with your eyes closed. Focus on tone and energy. 2️⃣ Look at the video with no sound. Watch your body language. 3️⃣ Learn by reading the transcript for clarity and impact. Tools like Yoodli give AI-powered feedback to help refine your delivery. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s connection and clarity. The more you practice with intention, the more memorable your message becomes.

One thing I've found helpful is to practice storytelling and find a good rhythm for the type of story you are telling. Practice alone or with someone you feel comfortable with before including the story in a presentation or as an anecdotal reference (i.e., interview).

Like any skill, storytelling takes reps. Start by writing down 3–5 stories you could tell: a client win, a lesson you learned the hard way, a time you had to pivot. Practice telling them aloud, get feedback, and refine the pacing and delivery. You’ll start to find what works—and what doesn't. Eventually, you’ll build a “story library” to pull from in real time during sales calls, presentations, or networking moments.

Como lhe dar com mudanças, na vida profissional uma vez que você encontrasse estabilizado em um emprego, que do nada lhe suje uma oportunidade de mudar e então, você aceita e tudo muda na suas rotinas e como lhe dar com tudo isso!, e bem desafiador.

Para criar uma narrativa eficaz em apresentações, conecte-se com o público. Identifique desafios que ressoem com suas dores, transformando-os em oportunidades. Use dados e experiências reais. Lembre-se: o básico bem feito resolve muito. Estruture com clareza – início, meio e fim – para gerar expectativa e conduzir à conclusão inspiradora. Visualmente, evite textos longos e explore imagens adequadamente. Unindo autenticidade e propósito, essa estratégia transforma informações em experiências que humanizam a marca e elevam o engajamento e a percepção do público.

La clave está en conectar emocionalmente. Arranca con una historia real o imaginaria que refleje el desafío o la meta que enfrentas. Haz que la audiencia se vea en ese relato, crea tensión y luego muéstrales cómo tu propuesta es la solución. ¡Es como llevarlos de un suspenso al "final feliz"! Cierra con una moraleja o mensaje poderoso que se quede grabado. Las historias no solo informan, inspiran y mueven a actuar. Recuerda, la gente olvida cifras, pero nunca una buena anécdota. Haz que el storytelling sea tu superpoder en presentaciones. 🚀

I think one of the key things is trying to remember and remind oneself throughout the process of the objectives we want to achieve. Why are we telling this story and what do we want the listeners to take away from it?

Storytelling is not just a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage. In competitive industries where everyone has a pitch deck and a value proposition, the reps and professionals who can humanize the solution, personalize the problem, and paint a vision are the ones who stand out. If you can master this, you'll stop just being heard—you’ll be remembered.

Use storytelling by starting with a relatable problem, introducing characters your audience can connect with, and building a journey that leads to a clear solution. Add emotion, conflict, and resolution to keep attention. Stories make data meaningful and ideas stick. Use visuals, real-life examples, and personal experiences to make your presentation engaging and memorable.

Another important aspect is involving the audience in an interactive way. This helps keep people engaged and actively listening. One effective method is to include questions with answer options during the presentation, so the audience can think for themselves and respond. It also works really well in hybrid settings.