Public speaking is an underrated, yet fantastic way to increase the awareness of a brand. It gives you the ability to communicate your message directly to key audiences. When used as part of the marketing mix to promote your brand and your message, it can provide a powerful boost to your campaign.

However, what sets apart a regular speech from a memorable one? What makes you the perfect presenter for your client, business, or for yourself? Well it’s your story! When you present, it gives you the opportunity to tell a story. When you tell a story, you often do so with passion, confidence, and authority. An engaging story can make the different between a mediocre presentation and a memorable one!

Mark Turner, a cognitive scientist, linguist, and author, states that a “story is a basic principle of mind.” He argues that we think in terms of stories. A story is basic understanding of cause and effect nature in which we make sense of the world.

The late Steve Jobs was a great storyteller in his speeches. One of his most memorable speeches was the 2005 commencement address at Stanford University. In this speech, he organized his points into three stories: how taking calligraphy courses impacted the MacBook, being fired from and returning to Apple, and what he learned from his first pancreatic cancer diagnosis. These stories had underlying themes. The first discussed the result of connecting the dots, the second about love and loss, and the third about death. This structure, organized into three phases, is similar to the plot of a book with an introduction, rising action into the climax, and the conclusion.

As a general rule of thumb, your story shouldn’t be less 10% or more than 20% of your total presentation. Remember, memorable presentations are not necessarily about confident delivery, but having a powerful message, clearly delivered, that persuades your audience to take action. You want to make an impact on your audience and provide them with valuable takeaways. However, you don’t want to speak so little about yourself that your audience feels no connection. Just as consumers want to have a face to a brand, your audience wants to have one to their presenter. This makes you more relatable.

So, the next time you get up to make a big presentation, consider how you can incorporate a story to make a lasting impact on your audience. After all, your story is what makes you the perfect presenter!

If you want to be a public relations executive with your company, an agency owner or an industry leader, you need to learn how to deliver a speech that will leave your audience wanting more.

Public speaking is almost an essential for success nowadays—and definitely a major factor in creating a powerful brand. Those who take their courage into their hands and accept or seek speaking engagements outstrip their competitors in branding, authority and reach.

When it comes to showing off your expertise and being seen as the authority you are, there aren’t many better avenues than speeches and other presentations.

In our Public Speaking course, you will learn how to deliver a speech that is well planned and organized using our guide. We will show you how to inspire your audience, inform them about your topic the right way, and motivate them to take action so you can build your brand.

We will also show you how to get over your fear of public speaking so that you won’t be prevented from landing the speaking gigs that you need to grow your career.

Photos by: Amanda Webb

Join the Public Relations Academy to take your creative ideas and put them into a systematic plan to help you deliver the content you need to succeed. You can also sign-up for our one-on-one coaching monthly strategy calls.

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