How to tell great stories on tour? Story telling advice for guides!

Summary

In this 'pantsless' edition of the community Q&A, Kelsey from beabetterguide.com emphasizes the power of storytelling in guiding tours. She shares four key elements for effective storytelling: identifying the core message, understanding the audience, using visual and sensory language to immerse listeners, and practicing the narrative. Kelsey advises guides to avoid unnecessary details, ensure stories have tension and resolution, and to use dialogue for engagement. She invites viewers to share their storytelling tips in the comments.

Takeaways

• 🌡️ The speaker starts by mentioning the warm weather, setting a casual tone for the video.
• 🎥 This is a 'pantsless edition' of a community Q&A, indicating a relaxed and informal approach to the discussion.
• 🗣️ The video is a response to Lynn Neils, highlighting the importance of community engagement and feedback.
• 📚 Storytelling is emphasized as a crucial element for being a great guide, drawing parallels to its role in education and business.
• 🧠 Stories are central to the human experience, used since ancient times to pass down important knowledge.
• 🏆 Great speakers and schools use storytelling to make lessons 'sticky', underlining its effectiveness in communication.
• 📌 The speaker outlines four key aspects of telling better stories: message clarity, audience understanding, showing not telling, and practice.
• 🎯 Identifying the message is essential, as it dictates what details to include or exclude in a story.
• 👥 Knowing your audience is critical for storytelling, as it influences how the story is told and what references to use.
• 🖼️ Show, don't tell, by using visual and sensory language to immerse the audience in the story's setting.
• 💪 Practice is key to becoming a better storyteller, as it helps refine the narrative and delivery.
• 🚫 Avoid overwhelming the story with unnecessary details, ensure there's tension, and always resolve the story.
• ✅ Use dialogue, maintain eye contact, describe the setting, and incorporate pauses for a compelling storytelling experience.

Q & A

Why is storytelling important in the context of being a tour guide?

Storytelling is central to the human experience and it helps to convey important knowledge and messages in a more engaging and memorable way. It allows tour guides to connect with their audience on a deeper level and make the tour more enjoyable and educational.

What are some examples of institutions that use storytelling in their teaching methods?

Institutions like Harvard and Johns Hopkins business schools use case studies, which are a form of storytelling, to make their lessons more engaging and memorable.

What is the first thing a tour guide should consider when crafting a story for their tour?

The first thing a tour guide should consider is the message or the most important information they want to convey to their audience. This helps to focus the story and eliminate unnecessary details.

How can understanding the audience impact the storytelling approach of a tour guide?

Understanding the audience allows the tour guide to tailor the story to the interests and knowledge level of the group. It helps to choose common reference points and ensures that the audience can relate to the story and its characters.

What is the significance of showing rather than telling in storytelling?

Showing rather than telling helps to immerse the audience in the setting and makes the story more vivid and engaging. It uses visual and sensory language to create a more impactful experience.

Why is it important for tour guides to practice their storytelling?

Practice helps tour guides to refine their stories, making them more comfortable and effective in delivering the narrative. It also allows them to identify and incorporate elements like tension, characters, and plot more naturally.

What are some 'do's' and 'don'ts' for storytelling that Kelsey suggests?

Do's include using dialogue, having a clear beginning, middle, and end, maintaining eye contact, describing the setting, and incorporating pauses. Don'ts include overwhelming the story with unnecessary details, making it too long, and forgetting to resolve tension.

How can tour guides avoid overwhelming their stories with unnecessary details?

Tour guides can avoid unnecessary details by focusing on the main message and cutting out anything that doesn't contribute to it. This helps to keep the story concise and impactful.

What is the role of tension or a problem in a story told by a tour guide?

Tension or a problem in a story helps to engage the audience and make the narrative more interesting. It provides a challenge that people can relate to and creates a narrative arc that leads to a resolution.

Why is it recommended for tour guides to resolve the tension in their stories?

Resolving the tension provides a satisfying conclusion to the story and reinforces the lesson or message that the tour guide is trying to convey. It also leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

How can tour guides incorporate pauses in their storytelling to improve its pacing?

Incorporating pauses allows tour guides to give the audience time to absorb the information and adds dramatic effect to the narrative. It helps to control the flow of the story and maintain the audience's attention.