4 Expert Tips to Transform Your Storytelling

July Kickoff speeches, conference keynotes, commencement addresses, awards acceptance speeches – I’ve had the pleasure of working on a wide variety of event-related communications in H1 2024 with Ben Decker and my colleagues at Decker Communications. Reflecting on all of these prepared remarks, here are 4 takeaways from the best of them:

1) They began by shaking hands with the audience. Figuratively speaking, that is. For example: “Before I begin my presentation, there’s something I want to share with you.” They got personal from the beginning. The best speeches connected with the audience right out of the gate. They didn’t wait to warm things up.

2) They inspired. Too often, executive speakers forget that their primary purpose is to inspire. Their content is informative, directive, illustrative, timely – and largely forgettable. The best scripts hit upon the chord of inspiration. They lifted their audiences, if only for a few minutes. But these minutes became memorable.

3) They weren’t too long. Brevity (as opposed to wit) is now the soul of wisdom. Attention spans are shrinking by the second. The best speakers didn’t try to say everything – they focused on connecting as relatable humans, not articulate white papers. A wealth of information always creates a poverty of attention. The best scripts were crisp and concise and didn’t meander.

4) They wove together a tapestry of SHARPs (Stories, Humor, Analogies, References, Pictures). This is both an acronym and an ethos at Decker. SHARPs are how ideas come to life, and how curiosity is invoked. and how hearts and minds are won. SHARPs take work, but the right ones can dazzle. A picture is worth a thousand words, but the right story or metaphor is worth a thousand pictures. The best speeches were filled with memorability anchors from start to finish.

So there you have it: 4 pro tips from 2024 for better-spoken word material. It’s truly painful to see how many speakers had all the makings of success – the right title, the right venue, the right event – and the wrong words. Long on information, short on influence. Here’s the thing to remember: information is cheap, and attention is expensive. When you walk onstage, you’ve got wads of attention. Don’t blow it on a lousy script.

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