Data Storytelling

Overview

Best practices for presenting your findings and engaging decision-makers.

Presented by:
Larry Vincent,
Professor of the Practice
of Marketing

Presented to:
MKT 512
January 29, 2026

Establishing a storyline

The three-act structure

The hero’s journey

Situation.
Complication.
Resolution.

The Pyramid Principle

SCQA

Visual storytelling

Let your evidence tell the story

Proportions

Comparisons

Distributions

Relationships

Change over time

Complex comparisons

Design matters.

Isolation through color

Contrast

Gradation

The power of typography

Typography is the most overlooked aspect of design for most data storytellers. Subtle shifts in size, weight, spacing, capitalization, and style can change the ease of which your audience scan and interpret your story.

Enterprise Customers Are Twice as Likely to Renew

Renewal rates by segment, Q4 2024 survey (n=1,247)

Source: Internal CRM data matched to post-purchase survey responses

And white space

A 20-slide deck with one idea per slide is much better than a 5-slide deck with four ideas per slide.

Everything competes for attention.

One idea. Room to breathe.