How to Tell Better Stories in Your Podcast: My Top Tips for Delivering Stories That Stick
If you’ve been podcasting for a while, you’ve probably heard that you need to use more stories. Big stories, little stories, quick examples, personal moments. Stories help your listener connect and remember what you said.
That is true, and there is neuroscience to back it up. I’ll get to that shortly. But the real issue is this. Most podcasters do not know how to tell a good story without rambling, oversharing, or turning their episode into open mic night. As a podcast coach, bad storytelling makes me want to reach out and help. As a listener, bad storytelling makes them want to find a better podcast. Ouch. You do not want that!
So in this episode, I break down the exact storytelling techniques I use (and teach my clients), to help you add stories that land, resonate, and increase your impact.
Why Stories Make You a More Memorable Podcaster
Stories make your episodes easier to remember because the brain processes narrative differently than plain information. When your listener can picture the scene or feel a moment, multiple parts of their brain switch on. They start to experience an emotion, and suddenly, you’re triggering their amygdala. Sounds more risque than it is. The amygdala is a part of the brain that stores memories. So when you tell great stories that trigger that part of the brain, your show becomes more impactful and memorable.
That kind of stickiness is how you build trust, authority, and referability.
So, how do you tell better stories in your podcast? Here are the storytelling tools that will instantly make you a better podcaster:
1. Use the Power of the Pause in Podcast Storytelling
Back in my radio days, I worked with a host who loved to pause for dramatic effect. He used pauses to build tension. And because I was half-listening while prepping something else most of the time, those pauses would send me into a panic. Dead air is the enemy in radio. Every time he paused, I would jump out of my chair, ready to hit a commercial.
That was my job.
Your listener will not react like that. But they will notice…and then they’ll lean in.
A pause interrupts the rhythm, snaps attention back, and gives the brain a moment to participate in the story. It creates tension, curiosity, and connection. Good stories breathe. Rushing kills impact.
If you want a deeper dive on this topic, check out episode 018, Using the Power of Silence in Podcasts:
https://podcastperformancecoach.com/018-power-of-silence-podcast/
2. Use the Open-Loop Technique in Your Podcast
An open loop is one of the easiest ways to keep your listener hooked. You tease something early and deliver on that tease later. It does not need to be dramatic. It just needs to trigger curiosity.
Earlier, I mentioned that neuroscience proves why stories stick. That’s when I opened the loop. I closed it a few paragraphs later. If you listen to the episode, I make you wait until Tip #4 to close it. Congrats on getting to the cookie earlier by being a reader!
Why use the open-loop storytelling technique in podcasting? Your listener’s brain hates unfinished business. If you want them to stay with you, give them something to wait for.
3. Use Simple Examples to Activate Storytelling Benefits in Podcasting
Examples are stories. Yep. Little micro-stories that make your lesson or idea relatable and memorable.
Short case studies. Personal moments. Or one of my favorite techniques, casting your listener as the main character using the phrase “this might look like…”
This might look like struggling to hit record because your intro feels awkward.
This might look like blanking halfway through your episode and forgetting who you’re talking to.
It conjures an image of themselves in their mind.
Instantly relatable. Instantly sticky.
I break this down in depth in episode 192, How to Make Your Content More Relatable for Your Listener with One Simple Phrase:
https://podcastperformancecoach.com/192-how-to-make-your-content-more-relatable/
4. Powerful Podcast Storytelling Creates Theatre of the Mind
Paint a picture. You do not need a long story. You need vivid moments. A sound. A smell. An emotion. A look.
And here is more of that neuroscience I promised.
When you give your listener even a small sensory detail that sparks a visual or a feeling, their brain does not treat it as information. It treats it as an experience. Multiple parts of the brain activate. Your listener is no longer passively listening; distracted by the rest of the world around them. They are all the way in, having an experience with your podcast.
That means your message sticks longer and hits harder.
If you want to strengthen this skill, listen to episode 197, How to Tap Into the Power of Storytelling in Your Podcast:
https://podcastperformancecoach.com/197-how-to-tap-into-the-power-of-storytelling-in-your-podcast/
5. Tell Personal Stories to Connect with Your Podcast Audience
Here is a story I almost never tell, and once you hear it, you will understand why. But it is the perfect lesson for this tip.
Years ago, money was tight, but I had decided to get a vasectomy. Because radio people do what radio people do, I pitched the idea of covering the procedure as a story so I could get it for free.
So there I was, the most squeamish human on earth, lying on a table with a microphone while the doctor described every snip and snap. I recorded everything. Even describing the burning smell. My audience got a side of me they had never heard before.
And they loved it. They connected with me. That ridiculous moment even earned a few awards.
When you share something real, your listener gets to know you. When they know you, they trust you. And when they trust you, they think of you first when looking for help or making referrals. Or, in this case, anyone ever brings up vasectomies.
If you want more encouragement to get personal, listen to episode 027, Get More Personal in Your Podcast:
https://podcastperformancecoach.com/027-get-more-personal-in-your-podcast/
6. Make Sure Your Story Has a Point
This is the most important storytelling rule in podcasting.
Your story must connect to the lesson or idea you are sharing in THIS episode.
If it doesn’t serve the listener, it’s noise. You know, like drunk Uncle Ned rambling about his glory days even though the conversation was about potato salad?
Do not be Uncle Ned.
Every story in this episode had a purpose. Each one illustrated the tip it supported. That is what makes your stories valuable.
If you want to understand how small stories build big trust, listen to episode 234, How Tiny Stories Build Big Trust with Podcast Listeners:
https://podcastperformancecoach.com/234-tiny-stories-build-trust/
Your Checklist for Powering Up Your Podcast with Storytelling
- Pause.
- Open loops.
- Use examples.
- Create a mental picture.
- Share personal moments.
- Tell stories with purpose.
Stack these together, and your podcast becomes more engaging, more memorable, and more referable.
One Final Thought: Storytelling Is the Cherry on Top
Great storytelling is powerful, but it cannot make up for a podcast that is unclear, misaligned, or missing a strategy.
If your show is not aligned with your business and your goals, you could tell stories better than Shakespeare and still not get an ROI.
You need clarity. You need intention. You need a listener journey that actually leads somewhere.
If this has you scratching your head, book a free private podcast coaching call with me. We’ll take a look at your show, your content, and your strategy so you can build a podcast that actually moves the needle.
Book your free call here:
