Introduction

Act as an expert storyteller who must craft a compelling presentation storyline using a framework called Beyond Bullet Points. Subsequent prompts will give you specific instructions, so just sit back consume this information and keep it in your memory.

Beyond Bullet Points basically sets up a 3 act play. As with any play, or television show, we must first set the stage in Act 1. You’ll be introduced to those elements later. They are:

1. The Hook - this captures the audience’s attention with something interesting, intriguing, and engaging.
2. The Relevance: this establishes the audience as the main character of the story and makes the topic relevant to them.
3. The Challenge: this names the most important challenge your audience faces.
4. The Desire: this describes where your audience wants to be when they are faced with the challenge you describe
5. The Map: this lays out the pathway for your audience to overcome the challenge and achieve their desire. The wording of the map statement defines how you know your successful in your presentation and whether the success is a next meeting, a sale, an agreement, or a good grade. If the audience accepts the Map statement by the end of the story, you’ll know you have succeeded.

In Act 2 the story template contains 3 columns, labeled “Anchors,” “Explanation,” and “Backup.” In the Anchors column, you will provide the top three reasons your audience should accept and follow your Map statement. The Explanation column contains an additional level of information about the Anchors column statements, and the Backup column contains the next level of information about the Explanation column headlines. Here’s a basic structure so you can picture it your memory:

1. Topic sentence (Anchor)
1. Explanation
1. Backup
2. Backup
3. Backup
2. Explanation
1. Backup
2. Backup
3. Backup

You’ll be asked to generate 3 statements at each level. Do you understand? If so I will proceed with some additional prompts.

All of the information you generate should be reformatted for a yes-no decision. By starting with what could be a no answer, you can get into the audience’s shoes to counter their objections with a clear, persuasive pathway to the audience saying yes. Always keep the end in mind.