Short anecdotes for speeches are a fantastic way to end a presentation with a bang. These stories can be fiction, actual incidents from history, or even just funny stories from your own personal life. When you deliver them well, though, they have a lasting impact. I often use these short anecdotes for speeches where I am training to teach something meaningful to the audience. So, in most instances, these stories are used in training sessions or motivational speeches. The anecdotes themselves are often entertaining, some are even funny, but when you use the story to relay a greater message, they have a magic quality. The important part of the process is to spend time, in the end, tying the incident back to the main point of your presentation.

My daughter graduated from High School last weekend, and the keynote speaker was a local pastor in the area. He used a well-known anecdote in a masterful way as the start of the commencement speech (is that redundant?). Since he was a pastor, he told the story of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus. Being a professional speaker, I was wondering exactly how he was going to tie that story to a graduation ceremony. He went on to explain how many Christians might see a "Baptism" as the ending point. In Jesus' case, though, that was the start of his public ministry. The pastor then shared with the graduating class that many of them are likely seeing the ceremony at the end of their schooling. In reality, though, commencement means the beginning. It was really well done and very inspirational to the graduating class.

So, I thought that it might be fun to just jot down a few of the most inspirational (or just funny) short anecdotes for speeches that I have come across in my career. Perhaps you can use them in your next presentation.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/short-anecdotes-for-speeches-and-parables-to-amaze-your-audience/