How to Make Your Next PowerPoint Tell a Story

If you’re using PowerPoint just to put numbers on a screen, you’re missing the power that comes from a dynamic presentation.

Presentations do more than convey data. They tell a story.


The really good PowerPoint presentations use data to reach an audience – not to fill a screen.

Try using some of these lines to build storytelling into your next PPT presentation:

  • Here’s how it looked at the beginning.
  • Watch what happened next.
  • Can you see the trend starting to build?
  • Pay attention: This is where the story changes.
  • Let’s look at the key players.
  • This step changed the whole narrative.
  • When/where/how did we first hear from the new players on this scene?
  • The next chapter proved more difficult.
  • A story isn’t over until it’s over – and this story isn’t over.
  • Here’s the conflict.
  • Here’s our fork in the road.
  • The data moved us to this next phase.
  • The results give all of us a new story.
  • Here’s where you play a role.
  • Tip: In additional to using these storytelling phrases when you speak, try using a few lines as stand-alone visual messages on the screen. Your PowerPoint (and you) will pack real clout.