March 28, 2025
Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to hook your listeners and keep them hanging on every word.
But let’s be honest—most advice about storytelling makes it sound way too complicated.
The truth?
Great storytelling is simple—when you know what to focus on.
And one of the most important things to focus on is this:
Stop summarizing. Start zooming into the moment.
A lot of people tell stories like this:
“I had a meeting with a client. He asked a tough question, and I gave a good answer.”
Okay… but we’re missing the scene. Where did it happen? What did it feel like? What was said?
Now imagine hearing this instead:
“I’m standing in the hallway outside the conference room, pacing back and forth. My palms are sweaty, and I’m thinking, ‘Don’t screw this up.’ I walk in, sit down, and before I can even open my laptop, the client looks me straight in the eye and says, ‘So… why should we trust you with this project?’”
Same story. Totally different impact.
When you zoom in, your story becomes real. People don’t just hear it—they see it, feel it, and remember it.
So how do you zoom in?
Here are 5 simple storytelling techniques that help bring any moment to life:
Start your story by placing your audience in the scene. Just say where you are—it doesn’t need to be fancy or over-explained.
Examples:
That’s it. As soon as people hear “living room” or “conference room,” their brain starts painting a picture. It might not be your exact living room—but that’s okay. They’ll see a version that works for them.
What not to do:
Don’t overload your story with unnecessary details:
“The conference room had a big wooden table, a shiny whiteboard, and a very modern screen.”
It sounds scripted and wastes time on things that don’t matter. Just say where you are—and move on.
Next, describe what’s happening. What are you—or someone else—actually doing in that moment?
Walking, typing, talking, arguing, packing, waiting… whatever it is, say it.
Examples:
Specific actions give your story momentum and make it feel like it’s going somewhere. It shows your audience: “You’re not just telling a story. You’re taking us into it.”
This is where things get really interesting.
We have thousands of thoughts every day—fears, dreams, worries, hopes. If you want your audience to feel more connected to you, share what’s happening inside your head in that moment.
Examples:
The mistake many people make?
They make the thoughts sound too polished, like:
“I thought, ‘This presents a supreme opportunity to transform my life.’”
Let’s be honest—you don’t think like that. Most of us think in messy, weird, irrational, neurotic ways. That’s what makes stories real and interesting.
Give your audience the raw, unpolished version. That’s what makes it relatable.
If you’d love to tell stories that actually land, our Storytelling training might be exactly what you need.
The best stories are emotional. They make the audience feel something.
You can show emotions in two ways:
✅ Option 1: Name the emotion
• “I was terrified.”
• “I felt relieved.”
It’s clear. It works.
✅ Option 2: Show the emotion through behavior
This is more powerful.
Examples:
You don’t need to go over the top. One or two of these moments per story is enough to make it stick emotionally.
If your story includes another person—bring their voice into it. Share what they actually said.
Examples:
Even if you don’t remember the exact words, you can recreate the essence of what was said. Just keep it real and concise.
Dialogue instantly brings your story to life. It adds movement and tension, and makes it feel like it’s happening in real time.
Let’s put it all together with one more story—this time from Sarah Willingham, a British entrepreneur and investor.
So, in my mid-twenties, I was running acquisitions for Pizza Express and walked into a meeting room.
I was two minutes late for the meeting, and the person on the opposite side of the table, the lawyer, looked up and said, ‘Oh, thank goodness for that. Mine’s, uh, white with one sugar, please.’
So I thought, okay, this is a moment. I walked around to the coffee, made him his coffee, put it in front of him and said, ‘Would anybody else like a coffee?’
Nobody said anything. I made mine, sat down. And as he looked up, I watched the color drain from his face as he realized the enormous assumption he’d made.
It was such a beautiful moment in my career. What I thought was my weakness turned out to be my superpower. Guess who walked out with the deal?
Such a powerful story—and yet so simple.
If you want your stories to land, remember this:
Zoom in. Don’t summarize.
Describe where you are.
What you’re doing.
What you’re thinking.
What you’re feeling.
What others are saying.
When your audience can picture the scene, they’ll connect with your story and remember it.
Today, we covered the foundation of great storytelling.
But there’s more—if you want to go deeper, check out my next article, where I’ll show you how to become a better storyteller than 99% of people.
See you there!
P.S. Want to speak with more confidence and clarity? Take a look at our Public Speaking Training and Presentation Skills Training.
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