Opening a story or presentation is one of the most difficult yet essential things to nail down in advance. At our Story Hours, or during a coaching session, it’s very common for storytellers to begin with, “Uh... okay,” “My story is about…” or the ever classic, “So…”

It’s common to begin with a half-baked plan, and it’s not surprising because most people are still crafting the story in their heads while they are speaking. The moment may be extemporaneous or just unplanned and the slow start is an inevitable side effect. But it’s time to develop some strategies to avoid showing up like you’re not sure what you’re talking about.

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As human beings, we’re neurologically wired for stories - it’s been the primary mode of information transfer for most of human history, and as a result, we remember stories and the details associated with them far more effectively than any other kind of information. Stories present information in a controlled way, and bring the audience along by having them participate in the story through emotional and intellectual engagement.

However… if you want to use a story to actually influence someone, then we’re talking about taking stories to another level of awesome sauce. When you’re trying to influence, you’re not just trying to get your audience to remember your message - you want them to think or act differently as a result.

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