***There Is an Art to Storytelling in Public Speaking -- Do You Have It?

By Nancy Daniels, The Official Guide to Public Speaking
The official guide to Public Speaking

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Have you ever listened to Zig Ziglar tell a story? One of today’s most highly sought after speakers, this man captivates you with his true stories and anecdotes. His passion and enthusiasm are contagious as well which means he motivates his audience to action.

Audiences expect stories so if you aren’t using them, you should begin to do so. You might liken a good story to the icing on the cake; however, if not delivered with life and with emotion, then your story will not grab your listeners.

I was out running in Central Park and it was cold is not the same thing as I was out running on icy paths in Central Park and it was bitterly cold.

James Malinchak, one of the top speakers on college campuses today, suggests one story per sub-topic. While this is good advice as a baseline, there is no hard and fast rule as to how many stories you should use. Usually my audience is the determining factor in which stories and how many I will use.

Practice by recording yourself and then study the playback. Your goal is to captivate your listeners in how you tell the story.