“I can see how you use stories, but I’m an engineer.  My presentations are very technical in nature.  My audience wouldn’t want to hear a story.”  Oh, really?  I would argue that a story can make any presentation more understandable, more memorable, and more enjoyable.

A young engineering student wanted to sell his senior project to the board of directors of a local campground—all of them non-engineers.  During the rainy season, the entrance road would flood making the campground inaccessible.  As he originally wrote it, the proposal was comprised mainly of numbers and jargon:  “You’ve got 269 cfs coming over the wall . . . “  I cut him off.  “I’m an old retired guy and I’ve volunteered my time to be on this board.  I have no idea what you just said or why I should hire you.”

The young engineering student and his partner put their heads together for a few minutes and then he tried it again.  “As you enter the campground, there is a low retaining wall.”  (He motioned with his hands.)  “During the rainy season, when this area floods, the water cascades over the wall.”  (Notice his word picture.) “If I were to take 269 gallon jugs of water and stack them up right here, (he again used his hands to demonstrate) that is how many gallons of water flow over the wall every second.”  (The use of a story gave him a natural opportunity to use his voice for emphasis.)

I turned to my imaginary colleagues on the board.  “I recommend that we hire these people immediately!”

The use of storytelling will be invaluable in helping you to sell your service, product, or idea.