In this episode of Not The Same As Last Year, we’re talking about the magic of storytelling and its crucial role in event design. Clare discusses how to use storytelling to create a cohesive, engaging, and memorable attendee experience. Whether it’s weaving the theme into every session, introducing your speakers through compelling narratives, or getting your audience involved by asking them to share their own stories, this episode is packed with practical tips you can apply right away.

Key Takeaways:

• Weaving the theme: Your event theme shouldn’t just be mentioned in the keynote – it should be the golden thread running through every session.
• Speaker introductions: Forget boring bios! Introduce your speakers with a story to make them more relatable and engaging.
• Attendee stories: Encourage attendees to share their stories during Q&A or workshops to build connection and create a dynamic experience.
• Sponsor involvement: Get your sponsors involved with storytelling to personalise their presence and add value to attendees.
• Promotion & follow-up: Use storytelling in your event marketing and post-event communication to keep the journey alive.

Tune in to learn how storytelling can transform your events from a series of disconnected sessions into a seamless journey that resonates with your audience long after the event is over.

Ready to dive deeper? Download your free guide, five ways to elevate your attendee experience without breaking the bank HERE

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Hello and welcome back to not the same as last year. Now I want you to imagine a B2B event where everything just clicks. The theme isn't just a tagline, it's woven into every session, every conversation, creating a seamless experience from start to finish. Each session builds on the last, creating a natural flow that keeps attendees engaged while the connections between the topics feel

intentional, not forced. The participants at the event aren't just going through the motions, they are fully immersed, excited and part of something bigger. It's an event where the energy is palpable and everyone leaves feeling inspired, connected and ready to take action. What did you see when I asked you to do that? What did you feel? What pictures came to mind?

most powerful words in the English language there when I asked you to imagine and then I told you a story about the perfect business event. So today's episode is all about the magic of storytelling at events. storytelling is a big deal to humans. It's been around forever.

Long before we had PowerPoint slides and keynote speakers, stories were told around campfires. They were passed down through generations. It's how we share knowledge. It is the way we humans preserve history and teach values. Now fast forward to today. We still connect through stories, don't we?

Advertisers don't just show you a picture of the thing they're selling, they show you someone using it, living with it and thriving because of it. When we look to buy something, we look for the reviews, the stories of the other consumer's own experiences or improved skin, before we're persuaded to book a holiday or shell out for an expensive moisturiser. And successful politicians, they don't just talk about policy,

They tell us about, Sarah, a single mum working two jobs to make ends meet. Last Christmas, she couldn't buy her little boy, Tom, a present. But after a change to the minimum wage policy, this year she's now reduced her working hours. She can spend more time with her son and she's managed to save a bit for his Christmas present. Now that's how a policy comes to life through the real people it impacts. And it was told with a story.

Journalists, they don't just tell you that energy prices are rising They take you into an old lady's home and you see nana Nellie Sitting in her flat wrapped in a shawl only able to turn on the heating in December worried even about boiling a kettle too much

So you personally might not be affected that much by the energy prices, but You're affected by watching Nana Nellie's story. It's something you can empathize with and feel. And stories are how we relate to each other. They help us understand what is really at stake. We feel the emotion behind the information.

So let's bring this talk back to events. Here's where we're missing a trick. So often event planners tell me that they have this amazing theme

The theme gets announced, it just doesn't run through the event. It's mentioned once and then never again. Take collaboration for example. I hear this theme all the time. Our event is about collaboration. Great. But then when I look around the room, no one is actually collaborating. is sitting there passively watching the stage and the speakers are delivering monologues. Where is the interaction?

Where is the connection? So what is the solution? Storytelling. A great story has a beginning, a middle and an end and your event should be the same. The theme shouldn't be a headline that you mention and forget about. It needs to weave through the entire event like a golden thread. Each session links to the one before and builds anticipation for what is coming next. It should feel like part of a journey.

This all sounds great. I'm sure you're saying, Claire, love the idea of a story, but how do we do that? You weave the theme into every session. You don't just mention it in the keynote and you let it disappear. whilst you're planning each session, you're asking yourself, how does this connect to the theme? Make it really explicit for the audience.

You could start each session with a sentence or two linking it back to the overarching narrative. It's like a TV series where every episode connects to the next. And you can introduce your speakers with a story. I can't stress this enough. Bios are boring. Instead of listing titles and companies, tell a quick story about the speaker. For example, don't just say,

John is a consultant with 20 years of experience working for this company and this company and this company instead shares something personal like John spent 16 years in the army tackling tough challenges and learning how to make fast decisions under pressure. Now he helps businesses do the same applying those lessons to save companies time and money. Now it's a much more engaging description of John and it makes the audience care about what John has to say.

Ask your audience to share their own stories. This one is so simple but so powerful. During Q &A or workshops, ask your attendees, what's your story? How did you end up here today? How did you get to this point in your career? It sparks conversations, it breaks the ice, it creates a much more dynamic, connected experience. And honestly, people love sharing their stories. Now you can get your sponsors involved with storytelling too. They are much more than just logos on a banner.

invite them to share their stories, how they got involved, what they believe in, how what they're doing aligns with your events mission. It personalises the experience and it makes the sponsors feel relevant and valuable to the attendees. in your event promotion and follow up. So instead of just listing speakers and sessions, create a story in your marketing materials about

last year's event or share testimonials in the form of narratives, stories from the people who came. And when you're doing your post-event communications, you carry on the story. You recap the journey that the attendees have been on. You highlight the key moments and you share the emotional impact of the event. think about your event as a journey. It's like a book. You wouldn't want to read a book where the chapters don't link together, right?

And it's the same for your attendees. They want to feel like they're on a journey with each session building towards something bigger. So you give them a very clear narrative arc, which is basically a clarity about the story, and then they will stay engaged from start to finish. We remember stories. We remember how something made us feel when we heard it, and that is why it's so powerful. It connects us emotionally, and it really sticks.

When I was a journalist, we always asked, What's the story? You you'd get press releases and they're fine, but unless there's a person behind the story, it doesn't really resonate with people So the same applies to your event. What are the stories behind the data? Who are the people behind the presentations? As an MC, I am always looking for these stories. I want the organisers to tell me about the audience that's coming and the speakers.

Why? Because at the heart of every event, there are always two agendas, remember. The one from the people attending it and the one from the people putting on the event. The attendees are sitting there, whether they're in a keynote or a breakout session, constantly thinking, what's in it for me? We can't help ourselves, that's the way our brains work. We've always come for something specific, whether it is to learn or to network or to solve a problem. And then of course,

There's the organisers agenda. They're thinking about their own goals. Whether that's promoting a new product, sharing thought leadership, or driving a particular message. But here's the problem. These two agendas don't often align. Organisers have their messaging, but if it doesn't resonate with what the audience actually wants, you'll lose them. And the event becomes a mismatch and the messaging doesn't land. So how do you fix this?

Well, the key is understanding what the people coming to the event really, really want, and then aligning that with your messaging. And you do this through your stories, stories about your product, your service, or your mission that directly connect with what your audience is hoping to gain from the event. For example, if your attendees are here to learn how to grow their business, then you tell them a story about someone who used your service.

and saw real measurable growth. You show them what's in it for them in a way that they can relate to and that makes it much clearer how they're going to benefit. And when you've aligned the organisers agenda with the attendees expectations and then you deliver it in a story, then they can really see themselves in it themselves. You've got them hooked and that's when you stop being just another session or another product pitch and you actually become something that matters to them.

So here's what I want you to take away from this episode. Storytelling isn't just a nice to have for your event. It is absolutely essential. It is what is going to make your theme resonate. It's what's going to keep your attendees engaged and it's what creates a memorable experience that lasts long after they leave. So just a quick recap of the tips that I shared. Weave the theme into every session to create a really connective, cohesive event.

Introduce your speakers with a story, not a bio. Makes them really relatable. And get the attendees involved by asking them to share their own stories. Also use the sponsor stories to make the partnerships that you have at the event feel personal and valuable. And then promote and follow up with stories, turning your event into a whole journey, not just a one-off experience.

That's it for today. Thank you for listening and I can't wait to chat with you again next week when we will be talking all about how to choose the right sessions for your event. Have a great week.