The art of storytelling is an important tool that can be useful for keynote speeches. If you’re a speaker who’s looking to improve your capabilities, mastering the art of storytelling is helpful. Or if you’re someone who’s planning an event, meeting, or conference and is simply looking for someone to speak at your event, learn a thing or two about the art of storytelling and be sure to look out for speakers who are skillful at this.
So what exactly is the art of storytelling in keynote speeches? It’s the practice of speaking while engaging with the audience and effectively communicating the message to them. This requires having the relevant skills and techniques to be able to deliver the message successfully to the listeners and inspire them to take actions towards their goals. And with it, comes the key elements that make up the art of storytelling:
1. Purposeful Structure.
To master the art of storytelling, one must always have an organized structure for their speech. It should be delivered in a timely and smooth manner for the audience to follow along and absorb the message. Having an organized structure for the presentation means having a well-prepared introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should be written in a way that is inviting to the audience and captures their attention. The body should follow along with the main idea while detailing the key points of the speech. These will then be concluded by highlighting the theme and reinforcing the main message to the audience.
2. Authenticity.
From a listener’s point of view, it would be easier to remember something from a speech if you knew that their storytelling was unique, right? If a speaker at an event delivers authentic stories, anecdotes, or personal experiences, a connection with the audience can be established. There is a sense of being able to relate through the stories shared and thus, the audience will likely remember the experience and interact more.
3. Emotionally Compelling.
Another key element to the art of storytelling is having emotionally compelling content. Speakers can evoke emotions from the audience by sharing stories that cause them to feel emotions such as humor, joy, empathy, or sadness. And by doing this, the speaker can continue to establish a connection with the audience through these shared emotions that can also keep them engaged during the event.
4. Visual Imagery.
While speakers stand at the stage, they can also add up visual connotations by using vivid and descriptive language to their speech. This can encourage the audience to picture out the ideas in their minds and can help with understanding the key messages even more. Figures of speech such as similes and metaphors can also be used in delivering their message to add excitement and richness to their storytelling.
5. Relevance and Context.
The stories and ideas that the speaker delivers should be relevant to the central theme of the event. The audiences’ interests should be taken into account wherein there are common interests shared together with the speakers as this can help with structuring the messages that are meant to be communicated. The context of the event should also be considered in order for the audience and speakers to easily relate with one another, resulting in an impactful event.
6. Simplicity and Clarity.
Simplicity is key in the art of storytelling. Listeners usually come in diverse groups with varied personalities and backgrounds. Using technical terms or jargon may not be a good idea. This may make someone sound smart but will the message be easily understood? Speakers need to bear this in mind because it’s more important for the audience to be able to absorb the message. And by having a simple and clear message that is communicated easily, the audience can grasp the idea.
7. Timeliness and Pace.
Just like how a keynote speech must be organized in structure, timing should also be included in planning for the presentation. The speaker should arrange the manner in which they deliver their messages based on the timeliness of the content. Is it the appropriate topic for this part of the event? Or this should be for a later time? They should also include breathers in between for the audience to take a break. When the speech is structured strategically according to a well-timed pacing, this can help the audience to understand and follow the message.
8. Call to Action.
Since keynote speakers often make it an aim to inspire action and change among the listeners, the art of storytelling is a perfect way to achieve this. Through interesting stories and real-life scenarios, or even experiences of well-known individuals, they can explain to the audience how taking actions and making changes can help them with their goals and significantly impact their lives.
9. Practice and Delivery.
Lastly, the art of storytelling will not be complete without the manner in which the speech is delivered. Speakers need to be skillful at delivering their messages effectively to a crowd of diverse audiences. Continuous practice of voice modulation, body language, gestures, and timing will surely hold the attention of the listeners and keep them engaged to absorb the message.
All in all, these key elements make up the art of storytelling. Taking these elements into account will open more opportunities for impactful and memorable keynote performances. So take note of these important ingredients for a successful speech. And if you want to know more about how YOU can improve as a speaker or if YOU need help with looking for the perfect speakers for your upcoming events, check out BNC Speakers and get to know how they can add value to what YOU do!