Sometimes The Best Story Doesn’t Win
I get it. As motivational speakers, we are all about finding the bes
t story. Stories engage and entertain. They inspire and motivate. They allow you to hold the audience in the palm of your hand. For years, it’s been easy to stand out as a speaker if you were able to craft a really good story. It’s still surprising how many speakers use very little storytelling in their speeches. Storytellers definitely have an edge over the others. But many have caught on, and the competition just got a little more fierce.
I have seen about 75 speakers over the past six months, and I’ve noticed that more speakers are telling stories – good ones. And suddenly, a good story doesn’t stand out like it used to. I hear lots of “good stories” that don’t really have the impact they should or could.
Why?
Because the speaker focused on the BEST story, not the RIGHT story.
When we look at stories as simply a vehicle for entertainment, we limit ourselves and the audience experience. Audiences love most what they connect and relate to. A story is good if it’s engaging, but a story is amazing if they can see themselves in it. And herein lies the difference – an important difference. Maybe the difference in whether you get booked again or not.
When writing a speech, don’t stress too much over whether the stories are good enough. Worry more about whether they are stories that will connect to the emotions, pains, and desires of your audience. The right story beats a good story any day. Learn the difference. You’ll be glad you did.
And if you need help on your stories, we’d love to have you at Story Crafting Summer Camp.