Powerful Storytelling

Planning & Delivering Stories

Toolkit for Opportunity International

In Partnership with rogenSi
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The 9 Steps in Planning the Story

Review
Deliver It!
Put Yourself
‘In Their Practice Your Delivery
Shoes’ Read Through & Refine
Bring It To Life
Apply A Structure
Collect Information – Detail
Set Your Objective – Think, Feel, Do
Audience Analysis – Who, What, Why
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9 Planning Steps in More Detail

STEP 1: Audience Analysis – Who, What, Why

• Who is my audience (background, age, gender, relationship, etc)?

• What do they want to hear? What is important to them?
• Why are they here? Why are they listening to the story?

STEP 2: Set Your Objective – Think, Feel, Do

• What do I want my audience to think or feel as I tell the story?

• What do I want them to do as a result of the story (action)?

STEP 3: Collect Information – Detail

• What information will be critical to the story?

• Characters – description, what they said, clothing, habits, details
• Location – sights, sounds, smells – paint a picture with words
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9 Planning Steps in More Detail

STEP 4: Apply a Structure

• Introduce the purpose of the story – “I’m sharing this story because…”
• Tell the story – bring it alive with ‘what’ you say and ‘how’ you say it
• Highlight the point of the story – “The point of the story is…”
• Share the benefits for the audience – “What this means to you is…”
• Call to action (if appropriate or required) – “You can help by…”

STEP 5: Bring it to Life

• Sound effects, voices, gestures, movement, repetition, rhymes

• Build suspense, intrigue, interest – make them wonder: what happens?
• Involve your audience as much as possible – ask questions

STEP 6: Read Through & Refine

• Put yourself in the shoes of your audience – consider think, feel, do

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9 Planning Steps in More Detail

STEP 7: Practice Your Delivery

• Focus on delivery elements – eye contact, voice, gestures, movement

• Get comfortable with voices, characters
• Practice pace, pausing, projection, modulation
• Find an audience to rehearse with – get feedback, refine, repeat

STEP 8: Deliver It!

• Have fun! Relax. Remember to breathe!

• Connect to your audience – give them your full attention and intention
• DON’T aim to ‘get off the stage as quickly as possible’

STEP 9: Review

• How did you go against your objectives? Ask for honest feedback
• Incorporate the ‘wins’ and ‘learns’ into future stories
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The Components of The Story
PART 1 – THE PURPOSE OF THE STORY

PART 2 – THE STORY

WORDS ACTIONS EMOTIONS

PART 3 – PART 4 – PART 5 –

THE POINT OF THE STORY BENEFITS FOR AUDIENCE CALL TO ACTION

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Structuring the Story NOTE: START WITH EMOTIONS & WORK BACK

PART 2 – THE STORY

WORDS – What Characters Said, How They ACTIONS - The Gestures, EMOTIONS – The
Said It, Words to Emphasis to Reflect Movement, Visual Aids You ‘Journey of Emotions’ You
Emotion Will Incorporate Want Your Audience to
Experience

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Key Delivery Elements
The Key Focus Areas for Presenters:

1. Eye Contact – giving & getting attention

2. Voice – setting the mood & tone

3. Gestures – complimenting the message, maximising retention

4. Movement – displaying confidence, being dynamic

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Eye Contact
Tips for Commanding Attention:

1. Use ‘One Thought to One Person’ for smaller groups

2. Use ‘Clusters’ and ‘Ski Rope’ with larger groups

3. Use your eye contact like you’re throwing & catching a

ball - grab it and hold it!

4. Always speak to animate objects

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Voice
Creating the Desired Mood & Tone:
1. Modulation - make sure the voice matches the message
(Conservative, Moderate, Dynamic)

2. Projection – ensure the energy matches the audience size and venue

3. Pausing - for emphasis and punctuation – remember to breathe!

4. Watch out for:

 The verbal pauses – ‘Ums & Ahhs’
 The Seinfeld character (fast talker, high talker,
low talker, close talker)
 Monotone!

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Gestures
Tips for Visual Attention & Retention:
1. Make sure the gestures match the message (Conservative,
Moderate, Dynamic)

2. Use the ‘Mirroring’ technique

3. Find a rest position that’s comfortable and suits you

4. Watch out for:

 The ‘Flashing Fig Leaf’
 Rings, change and pens
 Crossed arms, hands behind back

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Movement
Being Dynamic & Holding Attention:
1. Be careful of being too ‘conservative’ (stuck in 1 place) – move!

2. Plan movement – move with a purpose & know WHEN you’ll

move!

3. When you arrive at a destination, plant your feet & stay

put for a while – DON’T PACE!

4. Watch out for:

 The ‘wandering minstrel’ – wearing out the carpet!
 The ‘statue’ – are they alive?

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