Humans are natural storytellers. Our mind is naturally wired to stories, we love to learn from them and like to share them with people. PowerPoint presentations are the same. You cannot hook the audience by merely throwing facts and figures in bullet points. A good presentation perfectly balances logic, data, emotion, and inspiration. It goes beyond the confines of bullet points and sprinkles a little bit of wonder into talks, igniting the spark within people that propels them further to take action. It has a well-oiled structure. They have potent beginnings, conflict in the middle, and a climax in the end. Moreover, visual storytelling is also about symbolism.
It may sound weird to most communication experts, but you’ll realize its essence when you dig deeper. To create an impactful story, staying away from stereotypes and clichés is not good as they’re the most recognizable images. So, when we want to stir emotions, it can be done with easily understood visual metaphors. As visual metaphors storytelling creates an immediate connection and tap into the audience’s pre-existing knowledge and emotional associations with the image, enabling a swift emotional response. However, excess of it can ruin the story’s impact.
1. Follow a Structure for visual storytelling
Build a story with a proper structure that gradually unfolds. For example, you can start by mentioning the early life challenges of the character as you want them to understand the obstacles they faced and how they overcame it. And as the story progresses, you follow the ups and downs of the character, allowing the audience to connect with the story.
So, whether it’s a rags-to-riches story or a tale of personal growth or triumph, following a proper visual storytelling structure takes your audience on an emotional rollercoaster. The audience will feel the character’s struggles, celebrate their victories, and be inspired by their resilience. It’s a surefire way to keep your listeners engaged and rooting for that ultimate triumph!
2. Avoid following the linear structure
Following linear storytelling, structure is not necessary to build a powerful narrative. A non-linear approach may serve a better purpose.
It allows storytellers to experiment with different narrative techniques, such as flashbacks, parallel storylines, or fragmented narratives. They get a chance to connect with the audience uniquely and unexpectedly, often keeping them intrigued and active.
Furthermore, they can be playful with audiences’ emotions and evoke strong emotional responses. The approach challenges their wisdom as the story unfolds unexpectedly. Moreover, non-linear storytelling enables the exploration of complex themes and multiple perspectives via layered storylines through the interweaving of past and present. You can encourage the audience to solve the puzzle in your PowerPoint presentations actively. For example:
- Instead of following a linear slide progression, create hyperlinks within your PowerPoint presentation to allow for non-linear navigation.
- Rather than presenting information in a strictly sequential order, feel free to jump back and forth between slides or sections to create a sense of anticipation or surprise or to highlight connections between different concepts or ideas.
Fourth, juxtaposing ideas can heighten the story’s impact and create memorable moments, enhancing the overall aesthetic and emotional experience.
3. Establish the context
Words are super powerful. However, they are not alone enough to communicate an idea effectively. They need support. On the other hand, visuals may lack the context to convey a message effectively. Combing both can create a more holistic and engaging experience for their audience. Incorporating visual storytelling elements helps to create a coherent and compelling flow. It allows the audience to follow a logical sequence, building intrigue, and emotional connection.
4. Create ‘Conflict’
Robert McKee, a well-known Hollywood screenplay writer and the author of the bestselling book ‘Story’ says: “nothing moves a story forward better than conflict.” It holds for presentations as well.
A slideshow laden only with positivity and filled with only favorable information tends to diminish the enthusiasm of audience. And each extra positive information offers diminishing impact for them. Eventually, it results in a monotonous repetition of information.
Creating an impactful presentation has an element of internal conflict within the audience. It creates a curiosity of hope for resolution. The constant interplay of problem and solution helps establish an emotional connection with them.
The question arises how to do that. It’s not a difficult task and can be practiced with little practice. Think of it as the mental bridge that takes people from the WHY to the HOW. That’s where you grab your audience’s attention.
If you focus on one main idea or takeaway. You heard it right—stick to that one BIG IDEA that you want your audience to latch onto. It becomes the core of your pitch.
5. Resolution: Tears And Triumph
It’s the part of your story where the tension in the story gets released. It’s the most poignant moment where emotions run higher. That’s an eye’s widening moment or tears welling up. Resolution is also the peak of growth or transformation of the character. It’s where emotions run amok. You cannot afford to release the tension quickly.
If done carefully, it acts as a perfect platform to reinforce that message so that it resonates deeply with the audience. It’s like driving home a point with a sledgehammer (but in a gentler and thought-provoking way).
Here’s the resolution’s beauty—it allows your audience to reflect and take away something meaningful.
Final Words
Presentations have the power to make a lasting impact, and a great way to stand out is to create an exhibit that takes your audience on a trip with an emotional roller coaster and establishes a human connect. Don’t try to hide behind a wall of jargon, but let your audience feel the same way that you feel.
