Build audience trust before you start your story

The storytelling trance is a vital part of the success of storytelling and for an audience to be led into the story they need to trust the storyteller. They need to know that the story will be worth listening to – that it will actually lead them in to be a part of a scene and a series of actions, a place where they would want to be …. and that it will provide a story arc that they can use.

There are questions an audience will ask – of themselves – and through that process, of you, before they will give you their undivided attention.

What is your why? Are you credible? Are you authentic? Are you trustworthy?

Do you have the skills to tell a story that your audience will want to listen to? Do you have the knowledge or “smarts” to be able to create a useful takeaway from this story? Is the story going to be worth listening to? Is your personality capable of telling a story that enthrals, entertains and teaches? Can you be trusted to tell a story without trickery, without wanting to manipulate your audience into behaviour they will not want? Is this story worth more than the other options available to them for the time they are giving you?

So who are you as a storyteller? What does your audience know of you before you begin? How will you present yourself as someone they can trust and relate to?

Obviously you are going to have to research your audience.

What is their language? What do they want? What do they need? What do they fear? Who are they? How much expertise do they already have in your subject area? What are their objections to the points you want to make, to the outcome you want from your presentation? What do they find funny? What do they do, or think about or indulge in for excitement and thrills? What is their why?

Then speak their language. Show that you understand their way of thinking, that you understand their challenges. Show them your why and your credibility and your trustworthiness.

Introduce the story. Set the scene. Tease with your introduction. Let them know that it is relevant to the progress of your presentation and the point you are making. Reassure them that what is to follow is worth their time and their attention. Then you can take them with you into the story.

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