Whether you want to sell a product to a client or sell a marketing campaign to your boss, storytelling is the single most powerful way to capture your audience’s attention and to make the not yet tangible, real in the eyes of others.
So how do you do it and how do you do it well?
Break it down into simple parts. Remember those storybooks from your childhood? Why were they so appealing? They were simple. An illustration with one or two sentences on each page. To be effective, you should break your story down into digestible parts. Even if you think it is simple, go even further.
Believe in it yourself. You, the storyteller, need to believe in your story or no one else will. Be passionate about what you are portraying and keep your energy up even if it is the 20th time you are telling your story. Remember that, for your audience, it is the first time they are hearing the story.
The all-important protagonist. Every story has one. Your story needs one too. If it doesn’t have one, you can reference a member of the audience and interlace them into your story so that they become the protagonist.
Set the scene. Create visuals that help you tell the story but do not take away from you telling the story. They should enhance the story you are telling be it a few slides, photos, or videos. Sometimes a single photo can convey a message more powerfully than the spoken word.
Know your audience. Do your research and try to put together what the motivators will be for the audience you are telling your story to. This will require that you adjust your story as you go to fit each audience. Don’t be afraid to alter the script.
Observe body language. As you engage in storytelling be very observant of the body language of your audience – in-person or virtual. Is the audience leaning forward? Has their expression changed? Both are good signs. Leaning away or checking their phones every several seconds; not a good sign. But don’t give up. Adjust your efforts – including inserting them into the story by mentioning their first name – to see if you can engage them. 
Practice. Create a practice that works for you and makes you comfortable. I tend to mentally run through what I will present in broad themes beforehand. This gives me the flexibility to create as I walk the audience through the story live. If you are not comfortable with practicing and get nervous presenting, contact your local theater and/or acting group. Most offer acting for non-actors and can help you get comfortable as a storyteller.
