I want to tell you a story. There was a man throwing a starfish into the sea. No, hang on, there was a frog in a saucepan. Hold on, I’ve got a better one…

There are hundreds, if not thousands of stories that speakers use to make a point. Some of them work well, some fall flat. However, I would argue that telling a story that you heard from another speaker, or read in a book, is short-changing your audience. They have come to hear you providing unique insights, not recycling stuff that they may have heard before from someone else.

So you need to tell your own stories. You remember I told you last year about keeping a story file? If you have been using it regularly (you have, haven’t you) then you will already have a large fund of stories to draw on, and as you use them, you will find what works and what doesn’t, and develop your favourites. That’s when you move to the next level as a speaker. That’s when you become unique.

Media Tip of the Week

By Alan Stevens, Media Coach www.mediacoach.co.uk