Good business communication demands a 3 act story structure

Storytelling benefits your bottom line. Period. We could talk about the business case for stories all day, but in this blog, we’re getting down to brass tacks so that you walk away knowing how to integrate the most widely used storytelling framework: The 3 act structure.

What is a 3 act structure?

The 3 act structure is a narrative form that divides a story into three parts or acts. These acts are commonly referred to as the beginning, middle, and end, or the setup, confrontation, and resolution – or some similar variation.

Although the 3 act structure is usually associated with plays, films, and literature, it’s also incredibly effective in business presentations, pitches, and speeches. Why? Because the 3 act structure (and other storytelling tactics) can transform disparate data and facts into a compelling narrative that engages, persuades, and inspires audiences.

That’s right. Storytelling makes you communicate better, persuasively even. In this blog, we’ll explore how each act works, its business relevance, and how it aligns with the Duarte Method™.

A three act structure template

The 3 act story structure provides a clear and engaging framework for crafting any narrative – even a business presentation. Each act has a specific purpose and business context. Below is three act structure template to follow for your business communications:

Act 1: The setup

Purpose: Introduce the characters, the hero (or protagonist), setting, and primary conflict (or antagonist) in a compelling way.

Business application: At Duarte, we believe the audience is the hero, and the antagonist is any challenge, competitor, or limitation the audience faces. By making the audience the hero and acknowledging their struggles, you demonstrate your understanding of their needs and open the door to finding the right solution. For example, if pitching a new process, you could start by highlighting how the existing system is inefficient before explaining why a change is worth it.

Why it works: The opening act provides essential background information and sets the stage for the narrative. When done through an audience-centric lens, it grabs the audience’s attention, helps them understand why the presentation is relevant to them, and makes them want to hear more.

Common mistake: Don’t make yourself or your company the hero. Do you recall a presentation or speech where someone kicked off with a list of their stats, accolades, and accomplishments? It’s off-putting, and time and again, it distances your audience immediately. Instead, we recommend you connect with your audience first. An easy way to do this is using a free tool like our Audience Needs Map™.

So what role does you or your company play in this story framework? We’ll cover that in a bit.

Act 2: The confrontation

Purpose: Act 2 is all about contrast. Develop your story by introducing additional characters, considerations, conflicts, or complexities.

Business application: Dive deeper into the topic at hand, present relevant data, and explore the impact of those insights. This is the time to incorporate mini-stories or anecdotes, and address how to overcome roadblocks (whether physical or mental).

In a keynote speech, this is where you deliver the meat of your core message, juxtaposing analytical and emotional content (i.e., supporting metrics and anecdotes). This act, sometimes referred to as the messy middle, is about incorporating contrast to keep the audience engaged.

Why it works: Stories without conflict are boring. Why would anyone want to listen if there wasn’t an obstacle to overcome or a villain to defeat? And thus, presentations without contrast are boring too. The contrast-filled, messy middle maintains the audience’s interest because it creates suspense and gets them thinking about the possibilities.

Common mistakes: What happens when you don’t use contrast? You either sound like a typical (and unsuccessful) sales pitch, or you like a boring data report. In our highly-rated persuasive communication workshop Resonate, we talk about why business presentations need to contrast between “what is” and “what could be.”

Here is a what a presentation looks like without contrast. The flow is “data, data, report, statistics, call to action.” This type of business communication didn’t use a storytelling framework. Now the audience is disengaged or has lots of questions at the conclusion.

Here’s another example. This time a typical sales pitch. This is the “benefit, benefit, we’re the best, we’re your top solution, nothing is wrong here, now buy our product.” This type of business communication creates a sense of “this seems too good to be true” in your audience. Their walls are up, they’re not sold, and they’re looking for ways to poke holes or to bring you back down to reality. You didn’t acknowledge any obstacles, challenges, threats, or competitors.

Now this is what contrast properly woven into your act 2 should look like. You cast a vision of your offering, but then address a concern. You share another product feature, but then explain there are obstacles. You share how you have solved for that obstacle, and this cycle repeats.

Act 3: The Resolution

Purpose: Resolve the conflict. Bring the story to a satisfying conclusion.

Business application: Present your final product, service, idea, or solution and illustrate how it effectively addresses the problem and improves the audience’s lives. No business conclusion is complete without a clear call to action or a prescriptive next step. After making the benefits and outcomes of your proposal clear, what do you want the audience to do about it?

Download a new app?

Schedule a secondary meeting?

Invest in your product or idea?

Whatever your goal, help make the process as easy as possible for your audience. It all comes full circle back to them. In our Resonate® workshop, we call this “The new bliss.”

Why it works: The resolution provides closure and satisfaction. It ties up loose ends, answers questions, and leaves the audience with a clear, memorable takeaway. It ensures that the audience understands the significance of the information presented and knows what to do next now that they’ve been motivated to act.

Benefits of the 3 act structure

Can something so simple be that effective, you ask? Below are just a few of the benefits that the 3 act structure brings.

1. Relatable flow

The clear division into three acts ensures that the presentation is logically structured, making it easier for the audience to digest and understand. This structure also mirrors the natural progression of human experiences, making it intuitive and relatable.

2. Emotional engagement

The 3 act structure leverages contrast to take the audience on an emotional journey that keeps them engaged. From a scientific standpoint, stories trigger the release of hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. These hormones can help capture our attention, evoke empathy, and make us feel good.

3. Memorable impact

The 3 act structure helps ensure that your audience walks away with something to remember. Why? Stories are inherently more memorable than facts alone. In fact, people remember stories 22 times more than facts, but let’s face it, you probably won’t remember that anyway.

4. Content organization

The 3 act structure isn’t just beneficial to the audience, but the speaker too, as it’s an easy and repeatable way to organize your content before you present.

How does The Duarte Method help you employ the 3 act structure?

Let’s explore how Duarte’s approach to business communication, known as The Duarte Method, aligns with the 3 act structure.

1. Start with empathy and audience understanding

The Duarte Method: Start with the audience. As stated above, we believe that the audience should be the hero of the story, not the presenter. So, we can’t begin until we understand the audience’s needs, fears, and desires. What do they need to hear?

3 act structure: Act one involves identifying with the audience, establishing their needs and challenges, and setting the stage for the narrative. An effective introduction requires presenters to conduct a thorough audience analysis.

2. Craft your Big Idea™:

The Duarte Method: Once you know the audience, you can uncover the foundational message. We like to focus on developing a central message or Big Idea that anchors the presentation. The Big Idea consists of your point of view on the topic at hand and the stakes for the audience if they do or do not adopt your point of view.

3 act structure: An underlying idea (ahem, a Big Idea) is introduced in the setup, explored in the messy middle, and realized in the resolution, providing a consistent thread that gets uncovered throughout the narrative.

3. Use the Presentation Sparkline™ structure

The Duarte Method: Nancy Duarte’s famous Presentation Sparkline, which alternates between “what is” and “what could be”, is all about using contrast to maintain interest and drive the narrative forward.

3 act structure: This oscillation, or contrast, is inherent in any 3-act story, which typically goes back and forth between different challenges, solutions, obstacles, opportunities, pros, and cons.

4. Connect with emotional and logical appeals

The Duarte Method: One way to infuse contrast into any persuasive presentation or talk is to balance analytical/quantitative content with emotional/qualitative content. This also helps presenters connect with the audience on multiple levels.

3 act structure: The messy middle combines logical proof points and emotional examples to support the main message, while the resolution ensures that the final takeaway resonates both intellectually and emotionally.

Applying three act structure examples to different business scenarios

The three-act structure can be used as a framework for nearly every kind of business presentation. Let’s explore a few examples.

Internal presentations

• Setup: Introduce the context, highlight the problem or opportunity, and present the stakes at your next internal event or presentation.
• Confrontation: Provide detailed analysis, data, and potential solutions. Build the case for your proposal by addressing challenges and objections.
• Resolution: Present the final solution, demonstrate its effectiveness, and provide a clear call to action.

Investor pitches

• Setup: Capture attention with a compelling opening that highlights a pressing need or opportunity in your next investor pitch.
• Confrontation: Delve into the product or service details, showcasing how it addresses the need or opportunity. Use data and testimonials to build credibility.
• Resolution: Summarize the benefits, present the ROI, and make a persuasive call to action, urging investors or stakeholders to support your proposal.

Keynote speeches

• Setup: Start with a powerful anecdote, statement, or statistic that sets the stage for your core message in your next keynote speech.
• Confrontation: Develop your theme by exploring the challenges and opportunities related to your topic. Use stories, examples, and data to engage the audience.
• Resolution: Conclude with a visionary outlook or a motivational call to action that inspires the audience to embrace change or take specific steps.

Let us help you with your storytelling framework

Whether you’re pitching a new product, presenting to your manager, or delivering a keynote talk, utilizing the tried-and-true 3-act structure can transform your public speaking outcomes. When you tell a compelling story, your message is not only heard, but felt and remembered. And this drives your audience to act. Embrace the power of storytelling in your business communications and watch your presentations become more engaging, persuasive, and memorable.

Talk to a Solution Architect about engaging Duarte’s agency team for your next high-stakes moment. We’ll build the three act structure into your next investor pitch deck, conference keynote, and everything in between. Our clients like Salesforce and HubSpot keep coming back!

If you’d rather train up your team in storytelling skills and training, then set up a time to chat with a Training Concierge today. We can upskill you, your department, or your entire organization either live online, onsite at your office, or a hybrid of both. Clients like Nestlé Purina PetCare have been training with us for over 12 years!