SMART Volunteering-Storytelling Guide

III How do you capture the public’s attentionby teaching themsomethingnew? As we said, every successful communication strategy tells a story. Rather than pure information, it is the narrative that captures public attention and inspire action. It is well known that including a story in your speech makes the speech more interesting to the audience. Story telling is a meaning making (Wells, 1986). Telling stories is one of the most powerful tools to teach new things and inspire the audience. They help learning, because: • They are easy to remember . A sophisticated language can overload the listeners. Stories, instead, can break down the communication barriers with a simple language. It is better to use metaphors when you are moving away from known concepts or the public’s experience, so that they will be able to follow in the most immersive way possible. • The message is more meaningful with stories. Therefore, the information can be more easily transmitted to the audience. Limit the amount of background information. • The most complex and abstract concepts can be illustrated easily with stories. You can even bring an object that has a meaning for you and that has accompanied you during the trip or experience you are telling about! • The information that one wants to transmit can be brought to life in a meaningful and connected way. Try to make everyone feel concerned and emphasize that your experience is linked to that of all humanity. • Subjects might be more accessible to the audience with stories. But how does a story capture attention within the first words? The first 60 seconds of a speech are crucial. It is in this specific period of time that the audience in front of you will decide whether or not to listen to you. The first words, the first impression, are of paramount importance. Give an energetic opening, in harmony with the context, to give energy to your audience, which of course implies continuing your speech on the same path afterwards. It is also a way of showing that you are defending the cause you are going to address with a lot of energy. Then, the speech must include the following points: • Authenticity of a story makes it very compelling. That is why personal stories are the ones audience has more interest in since these stories have never been heard before. -12-