Stories are like the signposts in our lives. When used effectively, stories can be an invaluable tool for connecting public speakers to their audiences. Stories can inform, inspire and entertain while providing an emotional bond that can gives meaning to the facts and figures.

Here are five ways to ensure that your stories tie to your message:

1. Clarify your message

What is the bottom line sentence that describes what your speech about? If the speaker cannot identify the bottom line, then in the audience will have the same trouble figuring it out. Once you secure the bottom line message, then you structure the supporting points in the speech around it.

2. Determine how the story will help to support the main point

Stories have been shown to reinforce teaching points much more effectively than just visual aids or fact driven content. There are many different forms of stories that achieve different objectives:
a) Illustrative or impact stories – they are compelling stories that dramatically set the tone and context for the speech.
b) Analogies – they allow the audience to connect the dots to the facts and figures. Also used to make new or abstract concepts more understandable by using real examples.

3. Intent

What do you want the audience to feel, say, or do after they’ve listened to you? Consider if the story evokes the right emotional framework in which to lay the intended teaching point or call to action. Speakers have been to share a story because it is entertaining but if it does not set the right tone, it would be better not to tell it. If possible, analyzing the audience would be crucial before the speech so that you can get a gauge on the audience’s frame of mind. For example, unknowingly telling a humorous story to a hostile audience might only make them more hostile.

4. Determine how well you can tell the story

Studies have shown that audiences are most influenced by stories that feature personal experience. These stories carry tremendous weight in credibility when the teller is believable. Personal stories are authentic and unique therefore you are most likely to tell them well. When you enjoy telling the story, the audience will like listening to it. Be careful not to include any irrelevant details or make the story too short. If you do not have personal stories and the speech is being given from within an organization, then feature appropriate stories from staff members or clients. You should make sure that you capture the facts, sentiments and background story from the story source so that you can capture the spirit in which the events occurred. If there are no personal or second hand stories to draw from, you can always use tried and trusted classic stories that impart universal lessons of wisdom. There are many resources that be found in books or in the internet.

5. Practice, practice, practice!

This step should be self-explanatory but it is the step that is most missed! When speakers have a familiar story, they may not feel that they have to practice, just ‘wing it’ while giving the speech. This technique may feel authentic to the speaker but tends to result in inconsistent renditions of the story.

Stories should be structured and crafted for maximum impact. You should carefully choose the right words, phrasing, pacing and body language so that the story soars. Now, this does not mean that you memorize and recite the story word for word. You can memorize the sequence of events and key phrases but still leave fluidity in the story so that you can tell it slightly differently when you want to without losing its impact.

Stories can make or break a speech or presentation. Pay as much time and energy to your stories as you do to the content and visual aids. Audiences may not remember all of your wonderful facts and figures, but they will never forget your stories and the way you made them feel.