3 Confidence-Killing Business Storytelling Mistakes
By: Michael Davis
Tags: Public Speaking, Selling, Storytelling, Leadership, Business Communication

3 Confidence-Killing Business Storytelling Mistakes

Boost Your Storytelling Confidence From Low to High

Business stories have the potential to create a huge impact on your bottom line.

But, most people don‘t know how to effectively write and deliver them. If you don’t discover how to do this, then you’ll miss out on opportunities to set yourself apart and attract new clients, and you’ll lose confidence in yourself and your stories.

So, we’re providing you with insights into three costly mistakes and how to stop making them…

Business Storytelling Mistake #1

Your story doesn’t relate to your main point.

I’m sure you have heard the speaker who tells a story that left you asking the question, “What’s the point?”

This is more common than you may realize. The impact of stories is now fully accepted in the business world. And many people try to tell them.

But, just because we can tell stories doesn’t mean we should. Sharing just because it’s popular can be as damaging to your reputation as it is helpful.

If your story doesn’t have a point, people won’t your communication skills. And this can hurt your confidence.

By all means, if you have a powerful story that supports a point to help your audience, share it. It’ll improve your standing and increase your confidence. But don’t tell it until it’s ready.

What to Do Instead

Be clear on the main point you want to get across to your listeners. Then find a story to illustrate and sell the benefits of that point.

Write it. Test it. Get feedback. And keep evolving it until it impacts your listener.

Business Storytelling Mistake #2

Too much boring setup

Think about a time when you heard someone telling a story and at some point, you thought something like, “Enough already. Get to the point!”

You were suffering from the curse of the “ands.” What does this mean?

The speaker was giving you a bunch of information connected by the word “and”:

“This happened, and then she appeared, and then he said, and then this happened, and that happened, and, and, and….”

What’s the problem with this structure?

There’s no conflict. The purpose of a story is to generate emotion. Feelings aren’t created until the conflict is introduced.

Research has proven people make a decision in seconds whether they’ll continue to listen to us. If you bombard them with a string of facts, they’ll check out. Their mobile phones are always right there, waiting to snatch back their attention…

What to Do Instead

Your story needs a setup for context, but get to the conflict as quickly as possible. Share three quick facts to give the listener a feel for your Main Character’s everyday life, then introduce the Inciting Incident which begins the conflict.

Business Storytelling Mistake #3

Telling your story in “reporter mode.” This is similar to Mistake #2, but there is one big difference.

Reporter mode is akin to a reporter on a TV news program speaking into a microphone, recounting facts, as if they’re being read from a teleprompter.

It’s not solely a series of ‘and’ statements, because part of the story will involve some type of conflict. However, because the facts of the conflict are being reported to you, there’s little, if any tension.

This type of story can be typed onto a PDF and sent to everyone to save time. It doesn’t engage the senses and emotions at a deep level.

What to Do Instead

Wherever possible, use character dialogue, (including what s/he says internally). This brings listeners into the story as if they’re physically watching it unfold, along with the characters(s).

Rather than say, “It’s an unusually cold day in Indianapolis, but I’m profusely sweating because I’m scared to death,” I can say, “It’s an overcast and cold May afternoon in Indianapolis, but I’m thinking, “I’m drenched! I can’t stop sweating. I thought this was going to be fun, but, I could get hurt really bad, or…. die!”

Can you see the difference?

Can you feel the difference?

That is the power of dialogue. It can create feelings in your listener and engage their emotions.

This gives you a much greater chance of impacting or influencing them.

Remember these three points implement the alternatives into your next story and watch your influence substantially increase.

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