Alexei Kapterev's "Presentation Secrets": Chapter 3, The Story's Contrast

You need conflict

Without conflict, there is no story; every book on story will tell you the same thing. Even postmodern novels have some conflict, even if it's internal. Your presentation is the same way. You need conflict.

The way conflict enters presentations is through problem and solution. It's the problem versus the solution, after all. If there was no problem, then there was no need for your solution. So just think about the goal and why you did what you did. That's a built-in narrative.

Often the conflict comes through competition with another company or product. Compare products. Make yourself the underdog taking on the big, bad competition with all of their market share.

Keeping the tension

The problem is that most people mention the problem at the beginning and then state the solution...at the beginning. So the tension is over.

The key is to string it along. Leave an important question unanswered. State that you solved the problem, sure, but don't state how you did right away. Keep the tension.

Comparisons as conflict

Comparisons need four criteria, Kapterev says:

• Familiarity: The audience knows what you are talking about. Metaphors have to make sense.
• Emotional resonance: People want to know how things feel. Appeal to their frustrations, life goals.
• Avoid avoiding the obvious: Feel free to compare unlike things. 
• Unintended associations: Be careful with comparisons; some can be risky. Talk about sex, death, religion, politics, and people may take it differently.

Heroes and villains

Sometimes the story needs a hero. Well, most of the time, a story needs a hero.

Tell the client's story

This one is perfect. You have a person or a business who does well. But they have a problem that is holding them back. They may not even know it's a problem. But you know it's a problem. And you have the solution. The entire presentation can be centered around this kind of client testimonial. See "Meet Henry" as an example of this kind of presentation.

Tell the company's story

Speak about your company and the trouble it goes through and how it reaches a solution. It's similar to the "Meet Henry" presentation, but it's about the person presenting, the company that he or she works for. Often, the presenter will say "we" because they include themselves as the hero.

Tell your own story

You may be afraid of personal criticism, afraid that people won't listen to you, or afraid that you don't have good stories to tell. But you have to get over it and tell the story that you care about the most: your own. Think of the hero as a persona, though, as the brand, as the person you are acting as, not exactly as the YOU right now.