In our last sessions, we mastered Why-What-How and PREP for clear communication. But what about making dry data memorable?
Stories beat statistics every time. Your brain remembers narratives 22 times better than facts alone.
Engagement Message
When was the last time a story stuck with you longer than a statistic?
Here's a simple story structure that transforms boring data into engaging narratives: Once-Then-Because.
This three-part spine comes from Pixar's storytelling toolkit. It creates mini-stories that make your points stick.
Engagement Message
Can you think of any famous story that follows this pattern?
"Once" sets the scene. It establishes the context, the characters, or the situation before something changed.
"Once our team was struggling with 40% customer churn..." This hooks attention and creates relatability.
Engagement Message
Think of a challenge at work. How would you start with "Once..."?
"Then" introduces the change, challenge, or turning point. This is where tension builds and your audience leans in.
"Then we discovered customers were leaving because of long response times..." The plot thickens.
Engagement Message
What "Then" moment would follow your "Once" situation?
"Because" reveals the resolution, result, or key insight. This is your payoff - the reason you told the story.
"Because we implemented live chat, churn dropped to 15%..." This delivers the lesson.
Engagement Message
What outcome or insight would complete your story?
Here's the magic: Once-Then-Because transforms data dumps into human experiences. Instead of "Revenue increased 25%," you tell the story behind the number.
