Here's how you can captivate stakeholders in a project using storytelling techniques.

The keys are to craft a compelling narrative and engage the audience. Open your story with a situation your stakeholders can connect to. Paint a picture of the current problem. Introduce the hero (your project). By positioning your project as the solution to the problem, I think you should be able to establish in the hook. Highlight its benefits in the context of the narrative. Explain how your project will deliver the desired outcome. Emphasize the positive impact on the stakeholders. Engage the audience by painting a picture with words that bring your story to life. Let them imagine the positive changes your project will bring. Explain why the project matters. Highlight its value proposition and how it aligns with stakeholder interests.

Whatever you do, do not do this: “hi my name is…” fastest way to kill the mood and send you straight to yawn fest overload. Instead, you want to grab your audiences attention from the get go by using Hollywood techniques to get the viewers straight into your story. What’s the story? What’s the question you want them to think about? What’s the stat that will make them perk up? Focus on making your hook worth your audiences attention !

Stories (told well) in public speaking trigger emotions and capture imaginations. Statistics and technical data alone are necessary in conveying a message, but relatable stories and situations are where we captivate and draw in an audiences attention through empathy and sympathy. In the recovery field this is doubly true. Illustrations of resilience and hope are the fuel that continues the work in the helping professions.

Along with this, what I feel also works is having a candid conversation with the audience, if you are new to them, that also helps relate the audience with the speaker and hence helps to build a connection, and helps them stay hooked to your story

Craft a compelling story. As humans we love stories. What’s more? We love good stories especially those we can relate to. Tell your stories from your personal experiences. To tell a compelling personal story: 1. Infuse emotions into your story. Emotions power stories. 2. Let your message be very clear and have a direction. 3. Infuse suspense into your stories. Don’t put all your cards on the table. Take your audience on a journey. 4. Use vivid descriptive language and imagery to power your stories. This makes it interesting and intriguing

Period poverty significantly impacts many women and girls. Imagine a young girl missing school due to lack of sanitary products or a mother sacrificing her health because she can't afford menstrual supplies. This challenge highlights a critical gap in public health and social equality, perpetuating cycles of poverty and stigma. Our project aims to address this by providing sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions through the PrincessD LOANI Menstrual Cup. By breaking down these barriers, we empower women and girls, fostering dignity, health, and opportunity. As stakeholders, your understanding of this context is crucial to appreciate the transformative potential of our initiative and the comprehensive solutions we're proposing.

Business speak is so boring. If you want to engage people on a project, avoid jargon. Consider telling personal stories about why you care about the project. When you tell a story, consider what the essential information is to get across for the story. Don't spend too long setting up the context, give just enough. Try make it interesting and tell key moments through dialogue as if you were there (i.e. show don't tell.)

Describe the current landscape and the challenges or opportunities that your project addresses. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the situation, allowing stakeholders to visualize the context and understand the need for your project. This backdrop is essential for them to appreciate the narrative and the solutions you're proposing.

The first thing to prompt is to set the context . Once that is set the next thing is to set the artificial story to outline and what's the purpose of this story telling. Once that is done it is very important to have concluded in the same way that you want your context to conclude. Setting up all the characters, making a scene, climax and finally the conclusion will help your audience to identify the result that you want for the actual purpose.

Once you have their attention, it’s time to set the scene. Provide enough background information to give context to your story. Describe the setting, the circumstances, and any relevant details that help paint a vivid picture in the minds of your audience. This step is crucial for immersing your listeners in the narrative, making them feel like they’re part of the story.

The characters should be familiar and understandable. If you're speaking in a village in Kogi State, you can't tell stories about Europeans. It just won't connect. Use local characters instead.

Using characters in a story helps to build an emotional connection and also allows the listener to step into the character's shoes and understand their pain points, but using the right characters is both an opportunity and a challenge about which one needs to be mindful.

People love people and also stories. When you’re pitching your project and explaining about market research or about obstacles, challenges and problems that people face in the project’s domain definitely instead of just stating them talk about real life stories and scenarios with which people can relate with, if not make up stories that empathise with the real people who have been facing or have faced such challenges. What this does is makes people relate to the project at a deeper level and also causes an emotional response with a logical one. It makes them feel along with thinking. So whenever you use stories to narrate about your project environment use characters from real life world, which the people can relate and empathise with.

Every story needs characters, and in the context of your project, these could be the end-users, team members, or the broader community that will benefit from your project's success. Humanize these characters by sharing their struggles, aspirations, or successes

Characters are the heart of any story, and introducing them effectively can make your narrative more relatable and engaging. Describe your main characters with enough detail to make them come alive. Highlight their motivations, challenges, and roles in the story. Relatable characters help the audience see themselves in the story, fostering empathy and a deeper connection to your message.

Share a relevant and relatable story. Get the shareholders engaged, then talk about the project’s why, goal and mission. If the project is done already, share your results as well.

Highlight key milestones as plot points and describe the strategies and actions taken to overcome obstacles. This approach helps stakeholders follow along and stay engaged with the progression of your project's story.

A well-structured journey keeps your audience engaged from start to finish. Outline the key events and milestones in your story, ensuring there’s a clear progression and logical flow. Build tension and anticipation by introducing challenges and obstacles that the characters must overcome. This narrative arc not only maintains interest but also emphasizes the significance of the journey.

Every good story has a well-defined hero journey and plot arc. I love stories that also include a moral at the end. (The moral of the story.)

For the climax, try and change your tone so that the audience knows something important or different is coming their way. Climax delivered in a dramatic style adds an edge to the story

The climax is the moment your stakeholders are waiting for—the critical point where the project's success hangs in the balance. Picture the first large-scale distribution of PrincessD LOANI Menstrual Cups at a packed community center. Women and girls, filled with hope, receive these life-changing products. This pivotal moment signifies more than just distribution; it's the breakthrough where empowerment and education intersect. Community leaders, volunteers, and beneficiaries celebrate, marking the turning point where the project’s vision becomes reality. This moment will propel the project's momentum, ensuring its lasting impact and success.

The climax is the most intense and exciting part of your story. It’s where the main conflict reaches its peak and the outcome becomes clear. Make this moment impactful by building up to it with a series of escalating events. The climax should be emotionally charged and memorable, leaving a strong impression on your audience and underscoring the core message of your presentation.

As I noted in step 4, find the moral of the story. What is the point you want to drive home? Why are you compelled to share the story? Why should listeners care?

Every story should have an happy ending right, so yes none of the before mentioned techniques would work if you don’t give your stakeholders their happy ending or confidence closure. The key to this is after you speak about how your project solves the problems and challenges speak about the tremendous benefits your stakeholders will have and also the exponential growth that could be achieved through your project. For this use statistics and data analysis.Once you can prove to the stakeholders that your project not only solves the problem or challenges but also provides massive benefits and value they will develop a sense of confidence in your product and also in you.This is the best flow approach to reiterate your project’s value and pitch.

I will say yes towards a story in having a great ending or resolution, but it does not always need to be a happy one. Having a powerful message at the end of a story or speech can be very impactful on the readers/audience, whether good or bad. As long as the message can come across in a coherent and compelling way towards the audience, the story will be impactful!

Finally, provide a resolution that ties up the story and leaves your stakeholders with a clear understanding of the project's outcomes and benefits. By introducing the PrincessD LOANI Menstrual Cup, we aim to eradicate period poverty, ensuring every woman and girl has access to sustainable menstrual hygiene. Improved school attendance, enhanced workplace productivity, and empowered communities are just some of the benefits. This project not only addresses the immediate need for menstrual products but also fosters long-term social and economic development. Your support reinforces this transformative impact, driving forward a more equitable future.

Never present a problem without a solution. Especially when investors are involved. Make sure you are clearly communicating not only what your solution is but how you plan to achieve these changes

After the climax, provide a satisfying resolution that ties up any loose ends and addresses the main points of your story. Reflect on the journey and its outcomes, highlighting the lessons learned and the implications for the future. A well-crafted resolution not only brings closure to the narrative but also reinforces the overall message, leaving your audience with a clear and lasting takeaway.

Stakeholders want to understand three things. 1. Are you a credible and reliable organization? 2. Can you demonstrate impact with data? 3. Will you educate and steward your supporters? A thank you is never adequate, but it is not to be ignored. Finally, what is a stakeholder's return on investment? Stories of real people, individuals changed, lives improved. Stakeholders want impacts that bring transformation, not maintain the status quo. Do your programs do so day in and day out? Set the right expectation on time to impact. Treat a stakeholder as an investor.

The art of storytelling goes a long way in engaging all the stakeholders of a project because, the narrator touches each individual intimately through a carefully drafted stories. Humans are wired to be hooked to a captivating story. To on-board individuals on a project, other than the compulsion, it I the personal connect that proves useful. The plot, the character, the routine, the obstacle and finally the overpowering of the obstacle is bound to find takers when weaved impactfully. Make each stakeholder the hero who conquers the obstacle in a unique way and you have a bunch of motivated stakeholders ready to contribute their best to the project.

To captivate your stakeholders, you first need to understand who they are and what they want and why. It doesn’t matter if you address to 5 people, 500 people, or 5000 people. Not all of them want the same things or they have a particular interest in different things. You need to listen to them. Know your audience well and be inclusive and cover as many aspects as you can to bring most people on board.

L'art de la storytelling résume bien les différents points mentionnés...j'ajouterais pour ma part que lart oratoire prends toute sa signification à ce sujet. Les pauses de respirations, capter son auditoire avec le regard et la posture sont autant de vecteurs puissants pour rendre son discours captivant.

When trying to captivate stakeholders on a project, what you really need to do is understand what is driving each stakeholder. What do they want from the project? What do they need? What do they fear? If you can use this to weave a shared vision to move towards, as well as a shared nightmare to move away from you will help everyone be much more focused and productive. The key to any speaking is the listening that went before it to know the best angles to take.