When you write a signature talk — whether for TEDx or another big stage — about 25% of your content goes into the opening story. Another 10% of your content goes into the conclusion, which ties back to your opening story. But the actual story I often describe as a top hat because it can be swapped out, and they don’t need to be related to the topic of your talk. But your topic needs to be threaded into your story. Here, I’ll show you how to thread your topic into your opening story.
Two Types of Storytelling: Flashbacks and Educational Proof
At Wise Whisper Agency, we use two story types: flashbacks and educational proof storytelling. A flashback is a heartfelt story that drops your listeners right into a moment in the story. Your flashback story should create a range of emotions for your audience and make them feel like they’re living it with you at that exact moment. To do that, use descriptive language and avoid simple past tense sentences. Describe the scene in a way that engages the senses. Here’s an example:
“It was early evening. The winter breeze was crisp on my skin as I watched the sun setting behind the boats in the bay when a woman approached me…”
Listeners are immediately drawn into the story. They feel the breeze and “see” the boats in the bay. They can imagine a woman approaching. This is much different from saying, “Last year at the bay, a woman came up to me….”
Flashback stories need to be relatable. Set the scene, and then place your listener into the scene in a relatable way. Not every story has to be crazy — we all have crazy stories, but those might not be relatable.
The next story type is educational proof storytelling. This type of story uses content to prove a point. Politicians and attorneys use this sort of storytelling. When campaigning, you’ll hear a candidate recite several similar stories to drive home a particular point for a policy change or something they will bring to the office if elected. In the movie Erin Brockovich, she collected stories from families about the impact groundwater contamination was having on human health. These stories were educational proof that ultimately forced Pacific Gas and Electric to pay medical claims and clean the groundwater.
Threading Your Topic Into Your Story
Most of the content of your speech goes into the key talking points. In a 10- to 20-minute signature talk, you’ll have two to three talking points. You need to find a way to connect your story to your talking points … otherwise, you just have a really great story and completely unrelated talking points. Here are two examples of how to thread your topic into flashback and educational proof stories.
1. Use a Transition to Thread Your Topic Into Your Story
Let’s say your talk is about building confidence in the workplace. You choose to use an opening story about an embarrassing incident that happened to you on the first day of your very first job. Use a transition following the story, “That’s why, today, I’m here to talk about building confidence from the inside out so you can own your day and move on with your life.” From there, you’ll dive into your talking points.
When you conclude your talk, bring the audience back to the feelings in your opening story and how that ties into your talk. In this example, the speaker can talk about feelings of embarrassment and how they bombed interviews for jobs … because they never wanted to have another first day! And finish by giving the audience the power to build their own confidence.
2. Use Educational Proof as Your Talking Points
When you use educational proof storytelling, those stories can become your talking points. You’ll create stories around the data or ask questions like, “So, what does this mean to you?” and then tell your listeners exactly what it means to them individually. When you close a talk using educational proof storytelling, be careful not to reiterate the facts. You still want to close with purpose. One way to do that is to pose a question that requires your audience to reflect on the information you presented in your talk.
If you’re ready to make a big difference for your brand, consider writing and delivering a signature talk. At Wise Whisper, we can help you craft your signature talk and help get you booked on big stages around the world. Reach out to us today to find out what a talk tucked into your back pocket can do for you and how we can support you.
