Storybard

22 May Storybard

Carmine Gallo, Harvard instructor, author and keynote speaker just published a terrific piece in the Harvard Business Review called What the Best Presenters Do Differently. It’s about how outstanding presenters incorporate storytelling techniques to transform lectures into compelling performances.

Gallo references Abraham Lincoln, who developed his storytelling chops while traveling with a circuit judge. Lincoln was similar to comedians who test out their material on the road before performing on bigger stages. Like Eloqui, Gallo warns against opening with a PowerPoint, which typically consists of bullet pointed lists. Instead, he recommends developing a storyboard, the way award-winning film directors start every production. Then add graphics or visuals that support your narrative.

Gallo says “Researchers have found that your audience will recall about 10% of the content if they simply hear information. But the picture superiority effect means that if they hear information and see a picture, they’ll retain 65%.”

We also agree that most PowerPoints are predictable and boring. The brain responds to novelty and surprise, a core element of great storytelling. When you break free of PowerPoint and take the reins as a storyteller, there’s no stopping you.