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Observe the pros -

A great place to start if you are looking to improve your storytelling skills is to watch the experts. You can learn a huge amount from TED Talks or podcasts, for example.

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Observe the pros -

When you're listening to someone present, pay attention to the things they emphasize, how they transition from one idea to the next, and what the key takeaways are.

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Practice every day -

As with anything, great storytelling only really comes down to one thing: practice. Only by repeating the art of storytelling can you become a true natural.

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Practice every day -

Try and tell at least one story every day to your friends, family, or colleagues. Explain things by telling stories, and you’ll be amazed by how effective that can be.

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Speak from the heart -

This one is perhaps easier said than done, but try to speak from the heart as much as possible. Consult your head for the facts and figures, but your heart for the drive.

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Speak from the heart -

You might even find it helpful to lower your chin to your chest slightly while you speak, so as to actually listen more closely to your heart.

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Embrace conflict -

It can be tempting to shy away from conflict when we are telling a story, but we should in fact move towards it. Conflict can be very powerful when properly embraced.

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Embrace conflict -

Make an effort not to skip over the hard truths when you're speaking; these are what will connect you to the audience and draw them in.

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Diversify your audience -

A great way to improve your storytelling ability is to write for a diverse audience. Try to target readers of varying ages, interests, and backgrounds.

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Diversify your audience -

You will probably find that this exercise takes you out of your comfort zone and enables you to look at things from different perspectives, which is always helpful.

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The story behind the story -

You might find it helpful to remember that there is always a story behind the story. This comes as a hot tip from Lee Gordon, a former TV anchor who moved into corporate PR.

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The story behind the story -

To quote him, “The story wasn’t the hurricane; it was the person who rescued the dog in the middle of the flood. The story wasn’t the Super Bowl; it was the guy who spent all day lining the field or sewing the football.”

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Create empathetic content -

This one is for those of you looking to improve your storytelling for business purposes. Bear in mind that the most effective content is empathetic content.

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Create empathetic content -

Take the time to really understand the customer and prioritize story content that demonstrates your understanding over sales-driven content.

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Provoke emotion -

If you are trying to make a point with your story, it needs to provoke some sort of emotional reaction. Otherwise you’ll find you won’t get very far.

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Provoke emotion -

Try to find the emotional hook in your story and run with it. Who are the heroes and who are the villains? Make sure the story is worth engaging with.

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Solve unique problems -

Again, this is one for storytellers in a business context. Try and make sure that you are solving the customer’s unique problem with your story.

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Solve unique problems -

Don’t become obsessed with marketing the brand; try instead to take your marketing hat off and focus on the customer’s actual concerns or problems.

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List key words -

You may find it helpful to make a list of buzzwords for each target group. This will help you tailor your stories more effectively.

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List key words -

For example, if you are pitching a story to a group of careful thinkers, you are going to want to use logic and numbers to make your point.

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Consume! -

A surefire way to improve your storytelling is to switch up the ways in which you consume content. Sure, reading will make you a better writer, but there are other mediums too.

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Consume! -

Varying the ways in which you consume content (e.g. listening to podcasts, watching TED Talks, etc.) will help you understand the subtleties of storytelling.

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Make it multisensory -

Whether you’re telling your story in person or online, making it multisensory will ensure a more memorable experience for your audience.

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Make it multisensory -

If you are writing an article, for example, don’t just leave it at the copy. Try mixing it up with sound bites, video clips, and splashes of color.

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Create suspense -

A suspenseful narrative is enormously helpful when it comes to catching and holding the audience’s attention. Aim for both a catchy hook and an interesting resolution.

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Create suspense -

The same is true no matter what form of communication you are using. A suspenseful narrative will always keep people engaged and wanting more.

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Watch 'Reservoir Dogs' -

In the movie ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992), Tim Roth plays an undercover detective who needs to create a new identity for himself.

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Watch 'Reservoir Dogs' -

He does this by telling a story over and over until he can tell it perfectly. This is not a bad technique to use in real life!

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Read widely -

This one perhaps goes without saying, but a great way to improve your ability to tell stories is to read across a wide range of genres.

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Read widely -

Even if you only ever tell real-life stories, try to read as much fiction as you can. Internalizing the narrative structure of fictional stories can help us all tell better business stories.

Sources: (Forbes)

See also: What happens when you quit social media?

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