People make decisions based on emotions. In fact, Gallup has found that 70% of decisions are based on emotional factors, while only 30% are based on rational factors.

That’s why telling stories is so essential for your business. Facts and figures may justify decisions, but stories trigger the emotions that make people take action.

At BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, we work with the Top Storytelling Keynote Speakers. These keynote speakers come from all fields: entertainment, sales, marketing, technology, and more. But what they all have in common is their ability to move an audience with a story.

If you want to tell a great story to move a client, customer, or audience member, here are a few tips.

1) Make your hero likable.

According to writer, animator, and director Matthew Luhn, who worked at Pixar for over two decades, you need to cultivate the likability of your hero in a story. If we don’t like a hero, we lose interest and stop caring about the story.

To make your hero likable, the hero must perform an act of kindness for a lower-status character, share a story of when they were a child, or position themselves as the underdog.

Many startups tell stories that position themself as the underdog, working in the garage, coming up with ideas that take down the big companies.

2) Use a personal story.

A great way to connect with an audience or client is to tell a personal story, according to cybersecurity expert and author Eric O’Neill. When you first meet a client or an audience, you have their attention. The way to keep it is to share something about yourself.

Tell a story that relates to the current situation and introduces you. You could start with traffic, weather, or something that happened this morning. It makes you relatable and connects you to whoever is listening.

3) Explain the problem.

For any persuasive story, you need to set up the problem, according to top sales keynote speaker Matthew Pollard. In your story, there should be a client who is upset or frustrated with the current state of things. 

They have problems, but no good solutions. Make sure you emphasize how much the problem is costing them or their business, and clearly describe the circumstances that brought the client to their tipping point.

4) Connect to a fundamental truth.

According to innovation speaker Duncan Wardle, a former Vice President of Innovation & Creativity at The Walt Disney Company, stories work best when they connect to a fundamental consumer truth.

For example, all Pixar movies connect to fundamental truths. Toy Story connects to the fear of growing old and the pain of feeling insignificant. Wall-E taps into the idea of loneliness and falling in love as well as the dangers of pollution.

For business, you could connect to the truths about high prices, long delays, etc. When you tell a fundamental truth, you connect with a listener.

5) Be authentic.

You don’t need to be super animated or have an expressive face to tell a story that connects with someone, according to storytelling expert Kindra Hall, author of Stories that Stick. 

Stories are more effective when you’re authentic in your content and delivery. When you tell them your own way, with your own personality, you will connect with someone more than if you try to act like someone you’re not.

If you would like to learn more about telling stories or hire a top ten storytelling speaker for your next event or conference, contact BigSpeak Speakers Bureau today.

For more about storytelling, read: 

Spotlight on Storytelling: Utilizing Narratives for Business Success

Why are Some Keynote Speakers More Captivating than Others?

The True Story of How One Man Used Stories to Become the Number One Salesperson