How can I tell whether my story is making an impact on my audience?
I tried a brand-new story, but I’m not sure if they appreciated it.
Is there a tale I could be telling that would be more effective?
When I help businesspeople improve their presentation skills, I frequently hear and ask myself all of these things. It’s challenging and not always easy to pinpoint exactly how we connect with our audience. They frequently don’t think you did as well as you thought you did. But allow me to respond to your query as best as I can.
It was successful if they laughed at the humorous anecdote.
Start with the simple solution. If your goal was for them to laugh, which they did, then your story was successful. The only kind of story whose impact can be accurately measured is a hilarious one. Even then, the volume of their laughter will differ. Because we are presenters and not stand-up comedians, we are not required to make people laugh every thirty seconds. It’s alright even if they don’t laugh. There is no counting. Our remarks don’t have to be 100% comedic in nature. Just be careful not to overwrite your story with a meager conclusion. like the person who tells a joke for thirty minutes before the punchline. Yeah. Be not that person.
The tale was effective if it supported your thesis.
Quit asking them if they enjoyed it. It is not important how much they enjoyed it. Whether the tale supports your argument is the key. Was there a purpose behind saying it? Did the organization of your speech make sense?
Search for the correct narrative, not the best one. After that, improve it.
The likelihood that they will enjoy a narrative increases with its length.
And it doesn’t matter if they didn’t. A story that lasted only a minute or two isn’t actually judged by anyone. You are thus secure. Hope you had a good reason for telling it, even if it was just to make someone laugh and temporarily change the mood. There is nothing improper with weaving impromptu humor into your speech. Believe me.
Furthermore, your story might not even qualify as a story if it isn’t about a character who is engaged in conflict. It serves as more of an illustration. So don’t worry about it. As long as your example isn’t too lengthy, it’s acceptable.
If your story lasts more than five minutes, you must make sure it is compelling and captivating so that we are not bored. Make sure there aren’t too many unnecessary details in it. Just include enough details so I can picture the story in my head and understand the context. Don’t make it too heavy though. You’ll learn what belongs and what doesn’t if you make yourself compose each story for no more than five minutes.
Don’t base your opinion on someone’s appearance or statements.
Except for those who are jumping up and down and grinning as you go, it’s impossible to determine from a person’s countenance if they are enjoying the narrative. They are unusual. Different modes of listening exist. Even while doodling, they listen. But if they leave the room, they stop listening. Yeah. That suggests that not everyone was admitted. or if they are conversing with a neighbor.
Don’t anticipate them approaching you afterwards to express how much that story affected their lives. They probably won’t approach you and tell you even if it did. Simply put, audiences won’t do that. A survey cannot be completed either. No thanks. Release it. They may not have even had an opinion before you asked them, but now that you’ve asked them, they’ll give you an opinion they didn’t really have because they felt had to. Simply avoid going there.
However, having stated that. If your audience appears perplexed or confused, something is wrong. It implies that they are most likely deaf. They are unable to comprehend what you just said. Or they don’t understand it. You must respond to the person you’re speaking to, just like in a conversation (remember that speeches aren’t performances, they’re conversations – only with an audience that doesn’t really talk back). Analyze their nonverbal cues. Onstage, it’s more difficult. And challenging when you’re just starting off. But you’ll make it.
The more you talk as a speaker, the more you’ll begin to sense the audience. You’ll be able to tell when they are paying attention and when they are not. Up until that point, all you can do is put your best foot forward, see where it lands, and do the best you can. On stage, the narrative is occasionally developed. Well, not quite. Yet you understand what I mean. You cannot compare the first time you tell a story to the one hundredth time. As you practice more, you can better bring it to life and shape it to fit your needs.
Consult your client
You must win over the person who reserved you. Therefore, question them. Don’t enquire as to their opinion of you. Inquire of them what aspects connected with their audience. These conference organizers are completely aware of the preferences of their attendees.
People enjoy interesting stories.
We have a propensity to be a little bit self-absorbed as speakers. We consider everything we say to be fascinating. Stories about events that occurred to us are more intriguing than stories about events that occurred to someone else. Consider a fresh story as though someone else were telling it from that point forward. Are you concerned?
The majority of the tales we tell as speakers are typical, everyday tales. Few of us have experienced explosions or earned gold medals. We’re simply providing instances from real-world events to illustrate the lessons we teach. This does not imply that all of them are dull. Simply said, we need to put forth a bit more effort to make them engaging. And it’s even more difficult to ensure that we say only what is necessary. And it’s even tougher to make sure we say it with fewer, more impactful words.
Here are some ideas for adding interest to your story:
Don’t step outside and describe something to me; instead, stand there and describe it to me.
Describe why you find this story to be so important (if I understand your personal attachment to it, it means more to me)
Include emotions in your account; don’t just describe what occurred; describe how it made you or the person you are writing about feel.
Okay. That is all I have. You’ll be OK if you just keep in mind that telling stories is a persuasion tool, and you need to utilize the tool correctly. We can get into problems when we try to be comedians or entertainers.
A wonderful time! And you know where to find me if you need assistance.
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