Master the art of storytelling in the boardroom by turning your data into DRAMA

If you ever present PR and marketing results back to the board, you might relate to the (disheartening) take-outs from a recent survey commissioned by my digital PR agency Bottle of over 500 industry seniors*. 

More than a third of respondents had found members ‘unresponsive’ during presentation. A quarter (27%) have been interrupted, but the physical reactions of blank stares (18%), yawning (10%) and worst, eyerolls (8%), are simply disrespectful. 

These kinds of behaviours can cause confidence issues and erode a person’s passion to push every boundary for the brand’s growth. 

I’ve had to deliver many presentations to C-suite (in-house and with clients) over my career. From the early days as a fresh-faced, eyes-wide-open account executive, I’ve always been very conscious of my height. My physical presence as a ‘small, junior person’ felt overshadowed in an often male-dominant environment.  It caused me to really think about how to have presence in the room and hold their attention.  

In today's fast-paced business world, where attention spans compete with the overly demanding agendas, ticking clock in boardrooms, and worst of all – a screen of camera-off attendees - storytelling emerges as a secret weapon. I lean on the acronym ‘DRAMA’ to make my marketing update memorable.  

D – DIALOGUE  

When you only have a few minutes to nail your report and all eyes are on you, it’s natural to slip into talking at your audience – especially if (as contradictory as it sounds) you’ve prepared well with a script. Try to bring them in. Ask open-ended questions to encourage engagement. It’ll all feel more dynamic and stop them from switching off.  

Learning and development coach and founder and director of You Can Now (YCN), Nick Defty, comments:  

“Making a presentation feel like a broadcast is one of the worst things we can do. Good presentations should feel like conversations. Someone seen to have gravitas probably has the confidence to ask open questions like 'What do you think?' or 'How are you feeling about all of this?’” 

R – RELATABILITY   

Communicate in a way that’s relatable and easy to understand. Avoid using industry-specific jargon and complex terms or acronyms that might confuse those working in different departments. They realistically don’t know their CPRs from their CPAs. Instead, use simple, straightforward language and use analogies to add relevance. 

Think in advance about what the board's challenges and pressures are and weave a narrative that shows you understand the complexities of the business and how. Consider how your function could support these. Can you link your marketing data to budget discussions? This will make your presentation more compelling; it fosters connections and cements you as a confident team member who’s earned their place at the table.  

Nick Defty suggests: 

“I think confidence is conducive, and we’re more likely to be moved by someone towards their point of view if their confidence in their position comes across behaviourally. When going into the boardroom, remind yourself of your strengths. Create buoyancy in your mind by reminding yourself of when you’ve successfully dealt with similar situations. Take deep breaths to balance your brain – and make your words count.” 

A – AUDIENCE  

Knowing who you’re talking to is crucial for delivering an impactful presentation. Draw on your existing knowledge of each senior, speak to other colleagues or do a little research on their background, role and interests – LinkedIn is your friend.  

Tailor your presentation to address any priorities or pain-points of theirs specifically, explaining how the work you do will benefit them and their department. Give more weight in your presentation to PPC results for a finance director, tech considerations for a COO, or cultural implications for a HR director. Anticipate their queries so you can answer with confidence. 

Nick Defty advises:  

“Adapting what’s being shared to what we’re learning in real time is a powerful behaviour; ‘bouncing and building’ the flow of our story based on the contributions we hear in the room, evolving it with audience input in real time.” 

M – MAXIMISE  

Every moment counts within the confines of the boardroom, where schedules are tight and attention fleeting. Whether you have five minutes or 50, maximise every minute by delivering your narrative precisely and passionately, and give time for a few seconds of silence to punctuate the most important points. 

A well-crafted story is an oasis amid boring slides and numbers. Visual aids are essential, but they aren’t only the canvas on which a story can be painted. Infuse your data with anecdotes, weave  narratives around trends and let the numbers speak through the impact they create – rather than looking at digit after digit on screen.  

Our research found nearly a third (29%) of senior marketers have received feedback that the board doesn’t believe in big numbers. Scientifically speaking, it’s understandable. Our brains are built to compare not count, so asking someone to visualise 123 million people reached in a social media campaign is no mean feat. We use small numbers in our daily lives so, mentally, anything more is, a stretch.  

That’s why we developed our free tool that helps you visualise reach – How Many People? – which turns large numbers into tangible, real-world equivalents. Suddenly nine million becomes roughly the population of London. It’s easier to picture, grabs attention and is memorable. Good news given that ‘reach’ is the PR and marketing metric resoundingly understood by the board according to 40% of industry decision-makers.  

Nick Defty adds: 

"Whether you’re communicating numbers, words or emotions, keeping it simple and memorable will be key. People who possess gravitas might be said to be confident with concision. They don’t waffle on. They make words count. Give the board a memorable idea, image or simple story that will allow them to retain it and hopefully share on”. 

A – AGENDA 

Review the meeting agenda when prepping  to ensure your storytelling aligns with the topics up for discussion. Can you link your marketing data to other agenda items you know they’ll be discussing? Know how long you have to present, and where you can trim if you’re told your session has been cut down. Distil your message into punchy, bite-sized nuggets of insight. You’ll gain credibility for being flexible and succinct when you need to.  

Nick Defty recommends:  

“Agenda links back to engagement, and the skills of ‘checking for understanding’ as we go. It’s also relevant to your individual agenda point; set out the three key things you’re keen to get across while talking, and then check in against them when you’re finished. The adage ‘say what you’re going to say, say it, and say what you said’ feels apt here.” 

Data is an important tool in the boardroom and, when it comes to presenting impact, it’s natural to think the numbers will do the heavy lifting. But that’s not so. Crafting a story, interacting on a human level and intuitively reading the room and acclimatising to it is key to making the marketing agenda item the one an otherwise ‘bored-room’ looks forward to.   

Natasha Hill is managing director and co-owner of digital PR agency Bottle. 

Nick Defty is learning and development coach and founder and director of You Can Now [YCN]).

Reference
*A study of 578 in-house (non-agency) marketing decision-makers in full-time employment and aged 25-64 by Obsurvant in April 2024.