The Art of Consulting Storytelling

Why Most Presentations Fail

You've seen it: 40 slides of data, bullet points stacked on bullet points, the presenter reading from the screen.

The audience checks out by slide 5.

Consulting firms don't have this problem. Their decks command attention. The difference isn't better data—it's better storytelling.

The SCR Framework

Every great consulting deck follows Situation-Complication-Resolution:

Situation: What's the shared context? What does everyone agree on?

Complication: What's the tension? What problem needs solving?

Resolution: What's your recommendation? What should we do?

Without all three, the narrative collapses. Skip the situation and the audience doesn't know where you're starting. Skip the complication and there's no reason to care. Skip the resolution and you've wasted everyone's time.

The Pyramid Principle

Barbara Minto's insight transformed consulting communication: start with the answer.

Wrong order: Here's our research. Here's what we found. Here's what we conclude.

Right order: Here's our recommendation. Here's why it's right. Here are the supporting details.

Executives are busy. Give them the answer first. Let them choose whether to go deeper.

One Message Per Slide

The most common mistake: cramming multiple ideas onto one slide.

Bad slide: Three charts, four bullet points, two different messages.

Good slide: One chart, one insight, one takeaway.

If your slide title doesn't capture the complete message, the slide is doing too much.

The Horizontal Logic Test

Can someone read just your slide titles and understand your argument?

Take your deck. Read only the titles. Does it make sense?

If not, rewrite your titles until it does. Each title should be a complete sentence that advances your argument.

The Vertical Logic Test

Does each slide support its title?

Everything on the slide should prove the title. If content doesn't support the title, either move it or change the title.

Consultants call this "having an answer in your title." Don't title a slide "Market Analysis." Title it "Market is Growing 12% but Concentrated in Two Segments."

Visual Hierarchy

Not all information is equal. Your slide should make priorities obvious.

Most important: Large, bold, top or center Supporting: Medium, secondary position Context: Small, footnotes or corners

If everything looks the same, nothing stands out. If nothing stands out, nothing gets remembered.

The "So What" Test

For every slide, ask: So what?

If you can't articulate why this slide matters to your recommendation, cut it.

The appendix exists for a reason. Background information, detailed data, methodology—it all goes in the appendix. The main deck contains only what advances your argument.

Action Titles

Weak titles:

• Q3 Revenue
• Market Overview
• Competitive Landscape

Strong titles:

• Revenue Grew 15% But Margins Compressed
• Three Segments Represent 80% of Growth
• We're Winning in Mid-Market, Losing in Enterprise

Action titles tell the reader what to think. Descriptive titles make them figure it out.

The Executive Summary

Every consulting deck opens with an executive summary. One page. Complete story.

If someone reads only this page, they should understand:

• What the situation is
• What the problem is
• What you recommend
• Why it will work

The rest of the deck proves the executive summary. It doesn't replace it.