It Was a Dark and Stormy Night…

Think back to the last great presentation you heard.

What do you actually remember?

Was it:

• The graph?
• The slides?
• The presenter’s outfit… the free snacks?

Or…

Was it a story?

Why Stories Win

There’s a reason stories stick.

They pull us in.
They give us something to follow.
Something to feel.
Something to remember.

Data informs.
Stories move.

And in a presentation, movement is what leads to decisions.

The Good News: You Don’t Need to Be a “Storyteller”

Most people hear “storytelling” and think:

“I’m not that person.”
“I don’t have dramatic stories.”
“I just need to present the facts.”

But strong stories in business presentations are simpler than you think.

They follow one structure:

Situation. Struggle. Solution.

That’s it.

The Structure That Works Every Time

Situation

What’s going on?
Who are we talking about?
What’s the context?

“We were working with a client who had strong pipeline but low conversion…”

Struggle

What’s not working?
Where’s the tension?
What’s at risk?

“Deals were stalling late in the process. The team had data—but no clear way to move decisions forward.”

This is the part most people rush.

Or skip entirely.

Solution

What changed?
What did you do differently?
What happened as a result?

“Once we shifted the conversation to focus on decision-making criteria, conversion improved within one quarter.”

Where Most Presentations Fall Apart

They go from:

“Here’s the situation…”

Straight to:

“Here’s what we did.”

Clean. Efficient. Logical.

Also… forgettable.

Because without the struggle, there’s no reason to care.

No tension.
No curiosity.
No emotional investment.

It’s like telling someone the ending of a movie without ever showing them the problem.

Technically complete.

Not very interesting.

Why the Struggle Matters Most

The struggle is where your audience leans in.

It’s where they think:

• “That’s exactly what we’re dealing with.”
• “Yes, that’s the problem.”
• “Okay… now I’m listening.”

Without that moment, your solution feels disconnected.

With it, your solution feels earned.

How to Use This in Your Next Presentation

Take one example, one case, one story you already use.

Then pressure-test it:

• What was the situation?
• What was the real struggle? (not the polite version—the actual tension)
• What changed because of it?

And here’s the key:

Stay in the struggle a little longer than feels comfortable.

Let the audience feel the problem before you solve it.

A Simple Upgrade

Next time you’re about to say:

“We helped a client improve results…”

Pause.

Instead, try:

“They had strong results early on—but deals were consistently falling apart at the final stage…”

Now there’s tension.

Now there’s a reason to care.

Final Thought

You don’t need more slides.

You don’t need more data.

You need moments your audience can feel.

Because the more they feel the problem…

The more they remember the solution.

And that’s what makes your message stick.