7 Storytelling Tips to Make Your Teaching Unforgettable

You’ve poured your heart into your online teaching journey. You’ve crafted detailed slides for your video lesson and filled every worksheet with value. But let’s be real—something’s off.

Your clients are zoning out. They’re not finishing your course or drop out of your membership early. And the feedback? It’s like crickets chirping in a quiet room.

You’re staring at your screen, wondering, “What went wrong?”

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many entrepreneurs who start teaching online face this same challenge.

So, what’s the problem? A few pesky culprits could be holding your course back:

• You're serving a buffet of knowledge and info, yet your learners can’t see how it changes their lives.
• Static slides = snooze fest. Learners are losing interest faster than you can say “engagement.”
• Your messaging is not connecting, it might as well be in a different language.

Here is a simple, yet powerful game-changer: Storytelling! It’s the not-so-secret sauce that can transform your course from average to unforgettable. 

Why Storytelling Works in Teaching (and Learning)

It's simple: stories make your lessons stick. They give your audience a reason to care and...

• make your course more engaging: Stories turn dry content into something dynamic.
• simplify complex ideas: Stories break down tough concepts into relatable bites.
• creates emotional connections: Stories evoke feelings that stick with your audience.
• keep students coming back: When lessons resonate, your audience will want more.

Bottom line? Storytelling turns your online teaching from good to unforgettable.

Ready to transform your lessons? I want to give you 7 powerful storytelling tips that will help you engage your audience and boost completion rates. Here they are at a glance:

1. Tell Bite-Sized Stories
2. Share Stories Focused on Your Teaching Objectives
3. Spice It Up with Multimedia
4. Embrace Vulnerability and Emotions
5. Tailor Stories to Your Audience
6. Use Stories to Teach
7. Encourage Story Sharing

Let's dive in! 

Here are 7 Storytelling Tips to Elevate Your Online Teaching:

1.Tell Bite-Sized Stories 

You’ve got so much valuable knowledge, and it’s tempting to pour it all out at once. But wait! Too much information leads to student overwhelm. They check out halfway through, leaving you scratching your head.

Now, imagine breaking it up into bite-sized chunks. Weave in short, relatable stories that complement your content. Your lessons become a journey—an unfolding narrative—rather than a race to the finish line.

For example, if you’re teaching time management, share a quick story about that time you juggled three deadlines and ended up eating cold pizza for breakfast. Relatable, right? When students see you’ve been there, they connect with you.

Challenge: Pick a lesson and add a 2-3 sentence personal story. Keep it short and tie it directly to the lesson. Watch how your audience lean in, nodding along. It’s this connection that helps your lessons stick!

KEY TAKEAWAY #1:

Breaking up content with short, relatable stories to make your online teaching feel like a shared journey, not a firehose of information.

2. Share Stories Focused on Your Teaching Objectives

Stories are powerful, but only if they align with your teaching goals. You’ve maybe had that cringeworthy moment where you shared a fun story, and your students looked confused, thinking, “Wait, what were we learning again?”

Imagine if every story you told was laser-focused on your teaching objectives. Each story serves a purpose, reinforcing key points and making your lesson cohesive.

For instance, if you’re teaching effective communication, share a story about a clear email that helped you gain a new client. That’s relevant and reinforces your objective!

Challenge: Pick one lesson objective and create a story around it. Stay focused on the message you’re teaching. Ask yourself, “Does this story support what I’m teaching?” If not, save it for later.

KEY TAKEAWAY #2:

Stay laser-focused. Keep your stories relevant to avoid losing your audience along the way.

3. Spice It Up with Multimedia

Let’s be honest—if it’s just you talking with text-heavy slides, it can feel like a one-person show. And we all know what happens next: yawns, wandering minds, and students checking out.

Now picture a lesson where you mix in multimedia like videos, audio clips, and dynamic visuals. Suddenly, your course becomes something your students actively experience. They engage more deeply, and it’s fun!

For example, when explaining customer personas, showing a case study video brings the lesson to life. Instead of just hearing a definition, students see it in action.

Challenge: Add a video clip or animated GIF to your next lesson. Example: If you're explaining a difficult concept, use a short YouTube clip that simplifies it. Or toss in a funny meme when explaining a common mistake (like the classic “I'm totally fine” meme).

KEY TAKEAWAY #3:

Don’t be afraid to get creative with multimedia (as long as you're on brand)—it’s a tool that can make your lessons more interactive, engaging, and easier to understand.

4. Embrace Vulnerability and Emotions

You’ve built your expertise and have rock-solid content. But what’s missing? The connection with your audience. They learn, sure, but there’s no emotional bond.

Now, imagine sharing a personal story where you stumbled. Your students perk up. They see themselves in your experience. You’re not just an expert; you’re relatable.

For instance, talk about the time your launch tanked and what that taught you about resilience. Your authenticity deepens the connection with your students.

Challenge: Share a moment of failure or frustration in your next lesson. Example: “I once launched a course and only sold three spots. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it taught me XYZ.” Your vulnerability will resonate with them and strengthens your connection. And as Brené Brown says, vulnerability is where real courage and connection happen.

KEY TAKEAWAY #4:

Sharing your vulnerable moments doesn’t diminish your credibility—it amplifies it. 

5. Tailor Stories to Your Audience

Got some great stories lined up? If they feel generic, your students won’t connect. They need to see themselves in your stories to stay engaged.

Shift your stories to align with your students' unique backgrounds. Are they freelancers? Small business owners? Stay-at-home parents? When you tailor your stories, something magical happens—they start nodding along, thinking, “That’s me!”

By customizing your stories, you make your audience feel seen and valued. That’s when true engagement happens!

Challenge: Before your next lesson, think about your audience. Who are they, and what are they struggling with? Pick a story that speaks directly to their experience. 
 

KEY TAKEAWAY #5:

Personalizing your stories makes your students more likely to stick with you.

6. Use Stories to Teach

Diving into a complex concept? If your students aren’t finishing the video lessons, it’s time to switch things up.

Instead of just explaining, use a simple story or metaphor to bring the concept to life. For example, say, “SEO is like planting seeds in a garden—nurture them, and eventually, they will bloom. Just like your website.” Boom! Lightbulb moment!

Using stories simplifies the complex and boosts comprehension. Your students will walk away feeling empowered.

Challenge: Pick ONE difficult concept you are teaching. Add a teaching story to clarify it. 

KEY TAKEAWAY #6:

Use stories to simplify the complex and clarify your teaching to make learning easier and more enjoyable.

7. Encourage Story Sharing

Your course is full of great content, but if students aren’t interacting, motivation drops.

Now imagine your students actively sharing their own stories. They discuss their struggles, breakthroughs, and how the course shifted their perspectives. Suddenly, your course becomes a community where everyone supports each other.

When you encourage story sharing, you create a ripple effect of connection. Your students feel understood, motivated, and invested in one another’s success.

Challenge: In your next lesson, ask students to share a quick story. Example: For a productivity course, ask, “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve procrastinated on?” You'll get relatable responses that connect the class. You’ll be amazed at how engaged they become when they feel connected, not just to the material, but to each other.
 

KEY TAKEAWAY #7:

Story sharing isn't just about warm fuzzies (though those are pretty awesome too). It's about cultivating a dynamic, supportive spaces for students to flourish and evolve together.

Conclusion: The Power of Storytelling in Online Courses

Your teaching content is valuable, no doubt, but storytelling is the tool that takes your lessons from forgettable to unforgettable.

With these 7 tips, you can transform how you teach—creating not just a course, but an experience that your students will love and remember.

But remember: Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is perfectly engaging content. Keep the feedback loop open and be ready to adapt as your audience's needs change. Evolve alongside them.

And, if you need a little help with finding stories for your content, teaching, or even marketing, grab my FREE storytelling toolkit, '18 Simple Story Prompts to Transform Your Online Course Marketing,' to start finding and sharing your powerful stories!.

Happy storytelling! ❤️