Jenny Maxwell with the Buckley School lead a two hour interactive session on why and how to create and tell effective stories in business presentations.

1. +
THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL
JENNY MAXWELL
THE INSIDE TRACK:
TELLING YOUR
BUSINESS STORY

2. WORLD CLASS
SHOVEL-READY
LEADERSHIP
A BEAUTIFUL
PLACE
TECH-SAVVY
INTEGRITY
BEST IN
CLASS
TARGET INDUSTRY
ANALYSIS
STATE-OF-THE-
ART

3. They’re perfectly good words.
What’s the problem?

4. “The word good
has many
meanings…”

5. “For example,
if a man shot his grandmother
at a range of 500 yards,
I’d call him a good shot,
but not necessarily a good man.”
-G.K. Chesterton

6. +
Stories
Make Your Case
 Bring specifics
What does this look like?
 Make things clear
Aha! that’s how it works!
 Improve recall
Forget data, remember story

7. 20% of cereal eating
happens
outside
of breakfast

8. What are the
elements of a story?

9. PLACE &
TIME
Once
upon a
time in a
land far
away….

10. I am a princess
and I want
Fruit Loops!
CHARACTER + MOTIVE

12. CONFLICT!
EASY SHOPPING=BAD STORY

13. “Dragon on aisle 7”

14. +
Story Not Working?
Check for…
 Character, place, and time
 Motivation: someone wants
something
 Conflict: obstacles, problems,
mishaps
 Resolution: often unexpected

16. +
Not too long
Paints picture with the right details
Makes a point
Closely related to topic
A Good
Business Story

17. I’m telling you
this story because….

18. WHERE DO WE FIND STORIES?
 Your experience
 Stories you’ve heard
 The news
 Movies and books
 Analogies
 Imagination
 Case studies
 “For example…”

19. +
1. Define a specific audience
2. Choose an economic development
claim, issue, or data point
1. Illustrate, influence, or inspire
with a story
EXERCISE:
Tell a Business Story

20. +
Audience: Local business leaders
Topic: How deep water port access helps
local businesses
Story from real life: Local luxury pet bed
manufacturer finds new market in France
For Example:
Crafting a Business Story

21. +
Elements of
“Vive la Pet Bed”
Character, place, time: Bill Bowser has turned
luxury pet beds into this town’s biggest business.
Motivation: French dog owners want their poodles
to have the best. Bill can double his business.
Conflict: BUT…Bill can’t get his beds to Paris.
Problem…problem...problem (Rule of 3)
Resolution: The port that sends luxury cars to
Europe can get Bill’s luxury pet beds there, too.

22. And they all lived happily ever after…

23. +
1. Define a specific audience
2. Choose an economic development
claim, issue, or data point
1. Illustrate, influence, or inspire with a
story
EXERCISE:
Tell a Business Story
FORM YOUR TEAM OF 5-6
PEOPLE:

24. RESOURCES
Online magazine:
Buckley Speaking
buckleyschool.com
@buckleyspeaking
Made to Stick
Chip & Dan Heath