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Courses

Storytelling

Inspire others & deliver the perfect pitch
In-person

Overview

Course information

Storytelling is a critical skill for communicating new ideas & motivating others to action. In this 1-day Storytelling course you’ll learn how to craft inspiring narratives that align a team behind a vision or project & get buy-in from stakeholders, enabling you to push projects further & drive positive change. The course is taught by our expert coaches at our studio in London, and features masterclasses from industry leaders who will show you how to create the perfect business pitch with different storytelling techniques.

What you’ll learn

  • How to build a compelling argument through structure, facts, and evidence.
  • Understanding and empathising with your audiences so you can identify their needs & articulate your story on their terms.
  • Crafting an engaging narrative at an emotional as well as a rational level.
  • Different storytelling techniques, tools & tricks that can be used in your pitches How to develop a unique tone of voice to leave a lasting impression.
  • Adapting your techniques for different contexts, whether you’re online, in-person, or at a podium.

The coaching team:

Register your interest

There are no dates currently scheduled for our Storytelling course. 

Please get in touch if you would like to join the waitlist for the course, or to arrange our coaches to run this course in-house for you & your team.

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Who’s it for?

Anyone who wants to learn more about how to tell inspirational stories that help bring their vision to life. This course is perfect for people who need to use storytelling for business pitches, such as project managers who need to gain support from stakeholders to drive change. It’s also a great fit for entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs with a project that needs funding or resources, or specialists such as CSR or sustainability leads who need to inspire others within their organisation. 

In any position where you need to bring other people along with you & make them see your vision, you need to be able to tell a great story. Our storytelling course gives you the theoretical knowledge & tools needed to engage your audience, and combines this with practical experience delivering pitches & getting pointers from expert design thinkers. 

Session-by-session summary

1.

What makes a good story?
Understanding why stories work

The day starts off with a deep dive into how & when storytelling is used in businesses or by entrepreneurs to excite and incite progress. You’ll learn how to identify what you’re trying to achieve & who you need to get onboard to get your job done, while also exploring your audience and understand what motivates them. 

Topics covered 

  • Storytelling in business 
  • How to use storytelling to inspire others 
  • Clarifying the aims of your story 
  • Meeting the needs of your audience 

2.

Crafting a compelling narrative
Creating a story to fit a brief

The second part of the day is focussed on refining your brief & building a story to match it. Our expert coaches will teach you how to use diverse narrative-building tools & how to select the appropriate ones for your story’s purpose and audience.  You’ll then plot out building blocks into a narrative. 

Topics covered 

  • Creating a story to fit a brief  
  • How to use storytelling tools 
  • Preparing a pitch 

3.

Pitch perfect delivery
Putting it into practice

The final session of the day puts what you have learned into practice. You’ll learn how to land your message in your own voice to make maximum impact & connect with your audience. The coaches will demonstrate methods for encouraging audience participation. Finally, we’ll explore how your delivery can adapt for online settings, in-person pitches, and for large meetings or events.

Topics covered 

  • Delivering a great pitch 
  • Authenticity & connecting with the audience  
  • Encouraging audience participation 
  • How to use storytelling in other environments 

What Storytelling alumni say

An interactive and brilliant introduction into the practical application of systems thinking

Olive Ceesay
Programmes Coordinator, 64 Million Artists

Lovely bite sized intro into the concepts of Systems Thinking…

Sidharth Sharma
Creative Director, Shambala Festival

I recommend this fantastic streamlined programme to innovators from all industries. A refreshing take on how to bring business concepts to life through prototyping - invaluable learning!

Annemarie Sheridan-Antille
Head of Knitwear, Alexander McQueen

If you feel like your attendees are dreading your next online workshop, get on this course & supercharge your personal style - everyone else will thank you for it.

Dave Caygill
Global Executive Director, Iris Consulting

Our live teaching approach

Expert coaching Reveal more
Learning from experienced design thinkers & interactive workshops.
Collaborative innovation Reveal more
Co-creating with others & exploring how to drive innovation within a team.
Networking opportunities Reveal more
Connecting with people from around the world & expanding personal networks.

The coaching team

View profile

Joe Ferry

Brand & Experience Architect
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David Kester

Founder & Managing Director

Related articles & podcasts

Storytelling
9 ways storytelling can help you at work

9 ways storytelling can help you at work

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Four great storytellers share their experiences in film, advertising, architecture and engineering and the power of a story.
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FAQs

Why learn about storytelling now?

In our hyperconnected working world, bouncing between Teams, Zoom, Slack and WhatsApp is resulting in a perfect storm of information overload, low engagement & distraction. Effective storytelling cuts through the noise by creating memorable, impactful moments which build empathy and understanding and inspire collaboration.   

As we return to offices and face-to-face workshops, it’s the ideal time to refresh & sharpen your skills as a storyteller to set you up for success.   

How does this differ from other business storytelling courses?

Design Thinkers Academy London courses bring with them not only live coaching from our experienced facilitators, but also a set of masterclasses from leading figures in a range of industries. More than learning the basics of telling a good story, this storytelling for business training course includes feedback & instruction from a range of experts – all delivered in person in our London studio. 

Previous courses have featured masterclasses from our founder & former UK Design Council CEO, David Kester and the award-winning Joe Ferry, who’s led design projects at the likes of Virgin Atlantic and InterContinental Hotels Group. 

How long will the course take?

The course takes place in 1 day at our studio in South-West London, with the day split up into three sessions. At the end of the day there will be a chance to network with the coaches & other participants.

English isn’t my first language. Does that matter?

This Storytelling course is taught in English, and therefore it is recommended that participants have a good grasp of English in order to get the most benefit from the course.

Can I book an in-house storytelling course?

Yes, we offer all courses in our open course programme as part of our in-house course offering, including Storytelling for business courses. If you would like to learn more about how this works and can benefit your organisation, please find more information here, and get in touch today if you’d like to book a Storytelling course for your team.

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