Business Storytelling with VR
Learn the fastest way to engage and persuade any audience using Business Storytelling. Practice these skills in VR.
Course overview
Online with VR
CPD Certified
28 online lessons
Digital certificate
5 VR scenarios
7 hours to complete
Course outcomes
Learn how to be memorable, confident and relevant so you are heard
Streamline content through stories and save time in presentations
Inspire colleagues, unstick resistance to an idea and encourage action
Overcome difficulties with getting your message heard and decisions made
Learn the fastest way to engage and persuade
Let’s face it, most of us sometimes feel overloaded with new content in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world. If you want to be heard, cutting through the noise is tough. So how can we grab people’s attention and engage them with our message?
Gone are the days when facts and figures are the currency for influence. If you want people to lean in with curiosity when you deliver your message, you need to connect on a human level.
Business Storytelling is the answer. It enables a faster understanding of ideas, captures attention and compels more action. Stories conjure up images in our minds, evoke feelings and emotion and when used cleverly are the Number 1 way to ensure your audience are present in the moment, listening to you and absorbing your message.
Storytelling is a crucial communication skill that will increase your impact immediately.
Built in partnership with The Colin James Method
The Colin James Method is a proven communication skills training methodology that transforms your ability to influence, teach and engage the hearts and minds of your audience in any situation – from the boardroom to the stage and in a team meeting.
Online learning, done differently
Learn how to improve your storytelling with the flexibility of online classes combined with VR scenarios to help you practice what you learn. This hybrid approach to storytelling will increase your communication effectiveness.
Learn in online classes
Complete a series of videos, quizzes and case studies through our online platform - available to access at any time.
Practice in realistic VR
Practice what you learn in realistic VR scenarios. Storytelling is just like any other skill - you need to practice to improve.
Improve with feedback
Receive feedback on your performance to help identify areas you need to improve to become an effective storyteller.
Featured in
Business Storytelling: Course curriculum
- Overview of the VR app, course and resources. We explain where to download the app and how VR can help you improve your storytelling by letting you practice in a realistic environment.
- Course guide and resources
- Welcome
- VR and the VirtualSpeech app
- Gain a deeper understanding of why storytelling is such a good tool in business and the outcomes you can achieve by using it. We walk you through the types of stories you can use and how to identify the right type of story for different scenarios.
- Why use stories
- Effective communication: Telling stories in the workplace
- Presenting a story type
- Why storytelling in a sales presentation is essential
- Explore where stories come from and how to build a story library to share your key ideas and messages. Find out about the latest trends in business storytelling and why they are so influential. Put it all into practise by linking objects in a virtual room to your message.
- Where do the best stories come from?
- Linking objects and stories
- Communication skills 101: Storytelling for influence
- Holding your audience’s attention from start to finish is critical to the success of your persuasion. Find out how to construct an engaging story using our magic formula and try building an analogy between two seemingly different things. A useful tool for master storytellers.
- How do you construct a story?
- Magic formula stories
- Creating the links
- Analogy
- Analogies: Impromptu storytelling
- In this module we share with you the fundamental techniques for good storytelling and how you can seamlessly weave stories into your business presentations for greater impact. Learn how to deliver a captivating story that will compel people to feel, think and act differently.
- Fundamental techniques of good storytelling?
- 5 fundamental techniques of good storytelling
- How to tell a captivating story
- How you can weave stories into your presentations
- It’s time to start writing your story! Put what you have learned from the previous modules and resources into practice and use the worksheet to construct a persuasive business story.
- It's time to write your story
- Let’s take it up a notch. In this module we widen the scope by exploring the key elements of storytelling mastery. Delve deeper into the craft and learn how you can build a bank of stories that will enhance your influence and engagement in business. Then put all of your knowledge into practice and receive valuable feedback on your performance.
- How to become a master storyteller
- Use story to become a superstar communicator
- Final: Telling a story
Your instructors
Both Colin James and Erica Bagshaw have over 20 years' experience as speakers, trainers and coaches, working in the top 50 companies around the world.
As specialists in leadership, communication, resilience and change, together they own the leadership training and development company, Inner Profit and developed the Colin James Method for Communication, to be the gold standard for business communication. They and their team are highly sought after speakers, facilitators, trainers and coaches across the globe.
The art of storytelling is fundamental to communicate with purpose and meaning in business, and Colin and Erica are passionate about bringing it alive in business contexts.
VR Training: Scenarios for this course
Practice storytelling with the leading VR training app on the market. At key points during the online part of the course, you'll be prompted to practice what you've learnt in one of the following VR training scenarios.
Presenting a story type
Practice delivering one of the 5 story types covered. You’ll be presenting your story at a meeting in attendance by two managers. Record your verbal delivery and listen back to it – identify any areas of delivery you need to improve.
Linking objects and stories
You’ll be immersed in three different rooms and in each room, you’ll need to link objects in that room to the given phrase. For example, you may need to explain how a computer links to being a great communicator.
Analogies: Impromptu storytelling
This scenario helps you build analogies. You’ll be in a boardroom with presentation slides. Each slide contains two images and you have 2 minutes to talk about the link between the two images before the next slide is shown.
Putting it together: Telling a story
This scenario lets you put the storytelling techniques you’ve learnt into practice. Prepare a 5 minute story to tell the audience and receive feedback on your performance, including an eye contact rating and voice analysis.
Deliver a TEDx talk
Use this scenario to practice storytelling in a TEDx styled scenario. Practice the techniques taught throughout this course, and receive feedback on how the audience are likely to perceive you with our speech insight analysis.
350,000+
Learners in VR
4x
Faster than classroom training
6
Learning awards
VR features to improve your storytelling
Learn storytelling more effectively with our VR features.
Record stories
Save speeches to your learning portal, receive additional feedback and identify areas to improve.
Voice analysis
Receive instant feedback on your communication skills with our voice analysis and eye contact technology.
Realistic scenarios
Practice a range of storytelling techniques in our virtual rooms, from linking stories to finding analogies.
"Never have I come across such an original approach and genuinely engaging facilitator as Colin. The day has led me to rethink my own approach to training, leadership and my career overall."
- Mike Wallace, MCW Aviation Consulting Pty Ltd
"A wonderfully insightful course into the power and relevance of utilising storytelling in the professional landscape! I have thoroughly enjoyed learning from Colin – a true 'Master' in communication."
- Jacqueline Bohuslav-Andrews, Mindfulness Consultant, Yoga Harmony
"Colin is a master at his craft, yet he is able to distill the methodology into simple techniques that I can apply to my everyday communication."
- Todd Pironis, Senior Marketing Manager Joint Replacement, Stryker
"The best training course I have attended. Colin James is absolutely brilliant, he is very talented and more importantly what the teaches makes sense."
- Anthony Ferraro, Risk Executive Bank Counterparty Group and Alt Ass, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
What's included in this course
- 7 hours to complete
- 4 case studies
- 5 VR training scenarios
- All VR features
- Quizzes and assessment
- Earn a digital course certificate
- Flexible, self-led format
- Access to updated content
CEU - Continuing Education Units
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD Credits / Hours: 7
Certificate No: A031340
This course is in the following learning tracks
Info about VR headsets
The course works with popular VR headsets, including the Oculus Quest 2, Pico Neo 3 and Vive Focus 3.
Need a VR headset?
If you don't already have one, contact us and we'll help you figure out which headset is the best for you.
