Every presentation or speech you give should include a compelling story.

According to Paul Zak, director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and a professor of economics, psychology, and management at Claremont Graduate University, stories are a good way to draw people in.

And the stories that will make customers or the person on the street care about a new product, service, or idea tend to be character-driven narratives with emotional content and rising tension, he says. Such stories lead audiences to better engage and recall key points weeks later. They transport us into another’s world.

Here are a few questions worth considering as you draft your story:

• What is the problem you want to solve?
• Where do you want to go or what do you want to achieve?
• What are the obstacles?
• How could what you discuss change the world or improve lives?

To answer questions like these is to make your story persuasive and memorable.