Storytelling School The Callback Strategy Every Speaker Should Know
I’m working with my client on a TEDx Talk. In her opening story, she shares a vivid moment from her childhood: She is standing on a stranger's doorstep, completely nervous and uncertain if anyone is going to answer at all. It's a small detail yet it’s emotionally powerful and completely gripping.
After the story, we go ahead and develop the rest of the Talk. And as a whole, her Talk is strong. It's structured and meaningful… except when we get to the end. Something is missing. Her idea and her content are clear, but there isn't really an emotional lift at the end. I suggest going back to that moment at the doorstep and bringing the story full circle, reconnecting the audience with that feeling of standing on that doorstep. So she tries it, and guess what? It changed everything.
At the end of her Talk, the emotion rushes in, and suddenly, we, the audience, go from being in listener mode to actually feeling the story and reconnecting to that feeling that we felt in her opening story. We can actually see the story in our mind's eye. That one callback ends up transforming her Talk, which has now been viewed over a million times.
In this episode of Storytelling School, I explain how a well-placed callback can truly transform your Talk by creating satisfying closure and leaving a lasting impression on the audience. You’ll get answers to questions like:
What is a callback, and why is it important? How does using a well-placed callback in your Talk strengthen its impact? How can even just one powerful detail from your story be the key to making your ending unforgettable?
What you will learn in this episode:
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Why repeated emotional cues create deeper audience engagement
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How to find and evolve a meaningful moment in your story
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Why one callback is more powerful than many
A little about me:
Hi there. I’m Kymberlee.
As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives.
Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same.
If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.
Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.
Links and Resources
@storytellingschool on Instagram
@storytellingschool on Facebook