Can I tell you a story?

I’m one of those folks who can’t talk without using a story to get my point across. I’m also one of those folks who gets invited to speak at a lot of different kinds of conferences. Not because I’m the smartest guy in the room, but because people like hearing my stories.

And the simple truth is that you can do exactly what I do. Whether you’re speaking formally at work, presenting at conferences, or hanging out with friends on the weekend, developing your storytelling skills are a must.

Who is it for?

If you’re pretty good at telling stories but you want to add a few more tools into your tool belt, then this course is for you.

But if you’re new to speaking to people – whether it’s formal presentation or informal presentations in meetings – this course is also for you.

Basically, regardless of whether you’re speaking in the bar, boardroom, or ballroom – these lessons will help you.

What will I learn?

You’ll learn how to tell stories better, and how to tell better stories.

And those are two different things.

  • Story selection and creation will help you tell better stories
  • Preparation and delivery will help you tell stories better


My lessons (you can see the list below) will give you everything you need to pick the best stories, shape them so that they’re the most memorable, and deliver them in a way that gets you the respect of your peers.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Truths

    • 1. Everyone can tell stories

    • 2. Wrap your facts in stories

    • 3. It doesn't have to be your story

    • 4. Keep a story log

    • 5. Every part must be essential

    • 6. Know the narrative
  • 2

    Content Creation / Story Selection

    • 7. Start with your story’s purpose.

    • 8. Anchor your story in truth

    • 9. Have a beginning, middle, & end

    • 10. Put goals in the beginning...

    • 11. Include sensory details

    • 12. Include emotional details

    • 13. Include reaction details

    • 14. Include your inner thoughts

    • 15. Add dialogue

    • 16. Establish a baseline

    • 17. Slow down on the turning points

    • 18. Dig into the decision points

    • 19. Shape your structure strategically

    • 20. Set hooks throughout your story

    • 21. Put yourself in the story

    • 22. Use repetition

    • 23. Share a postscript

    • 24. Choose your ending wisely
  • 3

    Preparation

    • 25. Play the silent movie in your head

    • 26. Determine how deep to share

    • 27. Plan carefully

    • 28. Practice alone and with people
  • 4

    Delivery

    • 29. Keep beginning and end short

    • 30. Observe your audience and adjust as needed

    • 31. Take breaths in between sections of your story

    • 32. Pay attention to pacing

    • 33. Leverage your movement

    • 34. Manage your voice's volume

    • 35. Ask questions (not for knowledge but for association)

    • 36. Use images to get your laughs

    • 37. Don't get distracted by detours

    • 38. Laugh at yourself when needed

    • 39. Limit the use of notes

    • 40. Stop talking at the end, don't ramble

    • 41. Wrap up after the Q&A

    • 42. Revisit your hook, end with a good last line

About the instructor

Product Strategist, Blogger & Speaker

Chris Lema

Chris has been building web applications since it was possible to connect a database to a web server (1995). A public speaker and regular blogger, Chris enjoys sharing stories that inspire those around him. Today he's the VP of Products at Liquid Web.