Storytelling is so rarely used in business presentations that I often wonder how much companies lose by avoiding it.
At the last two presentation workshops I ran for different companies, I asked participants to deliver their usual presentations. They immediately slipped into their default mode.
Unfortunately, only about 10% used any storytelling techniques. The rest simply presented fact after fact, creating a sequence of arguments rather than a coherent narrative. There was no story with an opening that grabbed attention, no turning points, and no grounding in the audience's real-life situations.
The science behind storytelling
Here's why this matters. Research by Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker shows that stories are remembered 22 times more than a list of facts. Not twice. Not five times. Twenty-two.
And there's a reason for that. Our brains are wired to process information as stories. Even with incomplete information, we instinctively construct a narrative in our heads. When the information is inconsistent or hard to follow – which is very often the case in presentations packed with complex data – people leave the meeting with a muddled picture of what they just heard. Storytelling is the way to align the message with how the brain actually processes information.
Later in both workshops, participants rebuilt their presentations using storytelling structure and techniques.
Not everyone was enthusiastic at first. There was resistance.
"This doesn't fit my type of presentation." "I don't feel comfortable stepping outside my usual style." "I might come across as fake."
Storytelling as a cure for better presentations
But by the end of the workshop, everyone agreed that the new versions, enriched with storytelling elements, were significantly better. The message was clearer, the narrative was far more engaging, and most importantly, much more persuasive.
Will everyone use storytelling from now on? I'm not that naive. No.
Storytelling takes more thought, more reflection, and more effort. Some people will probably fall back into their old habits. But I still get the satisfaction of knowing that around 8 out of 10 participants will stick with this new approach to presenting.
And I keep wondering how much potential is lost every day in meetings with clients, partners, and stakeholders.
It's hard to even imagine.
If you want your team to stop losing that potential – check our storytelling training. We run storytelling workshops for business teams that are practical, immediately applicable, and built around your real presentations.
Piotr Garlej
