How To Present Your Stories

Deposit Photos. Used with permission.

PRESENTING YOUR STORIES

Once a journalist, always a journalist. I couldn’t stop thinking this way in my life if I wished I could.

And if there is one thing I have learned in the midst of research, documenting, and writing, it is understanding this undeniable truth: Presentation is everything. It’s defined here as to how we “release” our projects to other people and includes what we say, how it looks, where we release it, and how it is released.

We only have ONE OPPORTUNITY to make a first and lasting impression. Considering this truth helps us make the first impression, our best impression.

Presenting to those familiar with what we are doing is fairly easy, especially if its family or close friends. Appealing to family and friends can be more casual, personal… so we won’t talk about this aspect of it.

Rather, let’s posture ourselves to present our stories TO STRANGERS – those people who are hearing about your project for the very first time.

I AM CHALLENGING YOU TO PRESENT YOUR STORIES IN A WAY THAT:

APPEALS TO THE STRANGERS – NOT YOURSELF. Move YOURSELF out of the way. Presenting your story is not about your preferences, comfort zones, or even what you would like to see. Rather, it is about the needs of the potential audience and HOW they see, receive, process, and interpret information within the area your project is focusing on.

EXPLAINS YOUR PROJECT IN 3-MINUTES OR LESS. Because our world is social-media-driven, especially in the time of COVID-19, there is a need to incorporate social-media friendly avenues for presentation. This could be a time to garner some new and exciting skills OR hire someone to accomplish what you need. This means one thing: Do your research to discover how people are listening at this time. That good-old PowerPoint presentation might not be relevant to everyone. The idea HERE is to create a short presentation that can explain your project, and then follow-up with a more detailed, concise presentation that could be considerably longer, in a series or divided into segments.

IS FOCUSED ON MOVING YOUR AUDIENCE TO TAKE ACTION. You do not want people to simply enjoy our projects, but to walk away with some meaningful action steps that can take “your story” further. The challenge is identifying two or three action steps that they could take right now – whether it is financially supporting your project, raising awareness about your project, or opening doors for you to have a wider audience. The possibilities are endless. (Oral presentation steps, Structuring a presentation, Creating galleries & Written presentation steps)

IS VISUALLY APPEALING. However, you decide to present your story make sure it is visually appealing to your audience – whether family members or a professional agency. If you are serious about your project, make it your mission to present it in the most relevant, tasteful, and appealing matter possible for everyone.

With that in mind, please know that there are generally five types of presentations common to us today. I learned about these in a business seminar a few years ago, and want to share them with you – but with my understanding:

Presentations that provide information. These are the most common types of presentations, especially when sharing vision, explaining concepts, and ideas. They exist to communicate information in a clear, concise manner. For example, explaining what COVID-19 is would fit this specific category.

Presentations that educate. The purpose of this presentation type is to teach or educate your audience. The goal is to expand their knowledge base with accurate, credible information. For example, explaining the role your great-great-grandparent played in planting the first community church in your city or county might fit this specific category if you are documenting her life as an educator.

Presentations geared toward outlining problems, presenting solutions, and persuading others to act. This is self-explanatory. Years ago, I helped a local ministry complete a research project on teens addicted to pornography. The purpose of the project was to convince parents of the need to closely monitor their child’s online activities and implement methods to protect them.

Presentations that inspire. The purpose of this presentation type is rooted completely in encouraging, motivating, empowering, and/or strengthening others.

As you create the ideal presentation, I want to encourage you to learn as much about “professional presentation” within that genre as possible. Without some professional insight, the presentations can become more of a hindrance to your project than a help. I generally follow the rule of “simplicity” by simply saying make it as “basic, visually appealing and clear as possible” within your skillset and medium, or acquire the necessary assistance to help you do so.

Presentation formats can include:

Image galleries (printed, live or online)

Short video lectures, creative presentations, commercials Visual presentations like short web animations, PowerPoint Sample reports, portfolios, packets One-page website, blogs, magazines, infographics Live streaming via social media, on-demand television networks Group roundtables, visual tours Animated infographics, explainer videos

The possibilities and available software options are endless. Your presentation could lead to a powerful pitch for something greater, broader. Please keep in mind that all of these options ARE DOABLE. The technology today makes it easy and affordable for just about everyone. There are so many templates and resources that have turned complicated processes into simple tasks.

Here are some simple to get your creative ideas started. I’m only listing tools that do not require technical skills:

• VISME: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbtT2jcmQ1s

• POWTOONS: https://www.powtoon.com/

• WIX: https://www.wix.com/

• SHAKR: https://www.shakr.com/

• ART STEPS: https://www.artsteps.com/

• PROMO: https://promo.com/

• JOURNO PORTFOLIO: https://www.journoportfolio.com/

One final reminder: Be as simple as you possibly can. Work within your skill level or get help if needed.