Philipp Humm

7 Storytelling Techniques to Tell Great Stories

June 25, 2024

Welcome to the art of storytelling! 

Whether you’re sharing stories with friends or speaking in front of an audience, knowing how to tell a great story can make all the difference. 

In this post, you’ll pick up seven techniques that can help you tell your stories more effectively and keep your listeners engaged from start to finish. 

Let’s get started!

 

7 Storytelling Techniques

Storytelling Technique #1: Sell Your Story

Before you dive into your actual story, say a sentence that sparks excitement and curiosity among your listeners.

For example:

  • “Last year, I had an experience that completely changed my outlook on life.”
  • “Yesterday, I had the worst meeting of my life.”

This single sentence piques curiosity:

  • Wait, what happened?
  • What completely changed your life?
  • What made that meeting so terrible?

Your listeners will hang on to every word until they get the answers.

Storytelling Technique #2: Share the Goals

Often, storytellers add too much unnecessary detail that doesn’t add much to the story.

Instead of starting with something like, “It was a warm summer afternoon, birds chirping, a light breeze on my skin.”

Focus on something more interesting: what the character wants to achieve.

For example:

  • “I really wanted to finish that marathon. I wanted to prove to my kids that anyone can do it.”
  • “I needed that job offer. Without it, I’d have only 3 months before the government would force me to leave the country.”

When you tell what the goals are, your listeners become your fans, rooting for you, eager to see if you’ll make it.

Storytelling Technique #3: Throw in Obstacles

Ordinary storytellers often focus too much on the positive aspects.

But the best storytellers talk about the problems and the tough times they faced.

For example:

  • “One week before the big run, I was out training in the dark and rain. I didn’t see a small plastic piece on the path, stepped on it, and my foot slipped. I flew through the air and landed on my wrist. Crack.”
  • “My manager came up to me after a meeting and said, ‘What was that? You were a mess. What’s going on?’”

By sharing these challenges, you create a connection with your audience.

Storytelling Technique #4: Show the Emotions

It’s important to show emotions, but many storytellers just list them, which doesn’t help picture the scene.

Instead of saying, “I was disappointed,” show what that looks like.

For example:

  • “Completely shocked, I stood up, looking at my wrist which was now covered in blood, my face white as a sheet.”
  • “Suddenly, my heart was pounding, my face turned red, and I was sweating all over.”

This way, your audience can really see and feel the emotions.

Storytelling Technique #5: Share the Thoughts

Sharing what the character was thinking during key moments makes any story more emotional. 

For example:

  • “I thought, ‘How can this happen to me just days before the marathon? Oh no.’”
  • “I thought, ‘This is bad. What am I going to do? My manager is really upset.’”

This makes your stories more real and relatable.

Storytelling Technique #6: Add a Time Crunch

Adding a deadline makes any story more exciting.

For example:

  • “The marathon was in three days, and I had never run more than 10 kilometers.”
  • “I had 2 hours to put together a 100-slide presentation for the CEO.”
    This pressure makes your story more thrilling.

Storytelling Technique #7: Share the Dialogue

Use actual words spoken by the characters at key moments to draw your listeners in.

For example:

  • “As I sat on the wet floor, injured, my sister called. After hearing me cry, she said, ‘Philipp, this is the moment you’ve been training for. Embrace it.’”
  • “Three weeks later, my boss came up to me, patted my shoulder, and said, ‘I don’t know how you did it, but wow. You’re unstoppable. I’m proud to extend your contract!’”
    Using real dialogue helps place your listeners right in the moment.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’re equipped with these seven storytelling techniques, you’re ready to captivate any audience. Remember, a great storyteller doesn’t just tell a story; they make their listeners experience it. Use these tools to craft narratives that are not only informative and entertaining but also deeply engaging.

But hey for those techniques to work you need to have the right foundation in place. You need to have a good structure.
For that you may wanna check out this next article, in which I share a simple 4-step story structure.

Enjoy!

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