I see and hear the word “compelling” far more often these days, particularly in conversations about data or insights. It seems to have become a kind of shorthand – a way to signal weight or importance without actually defining what it means in practice.
The problem is that there isn’t an agreed-upon understanding of what makes data compelling. Some think it’s information that is interesting or intriguing, while others believe it’s simply something that’s new or different.
But a compelling data story isn’t about feeling. It’s about consequence, the kind that makes ignoring the story harder than acting on it.
So I’m here to reclaim the word compelling, because it’s too important, and too useful to storytelling, to leave it undefined.
What makes a compelling data story
There are three conditions that make a data story compelling.
It has to be:
- Meaningful – earns the audience’s attention by connecting the story to what they are accountable for or care about
- Revealing – shifts their understanding by showing them something they didn’t already know, or reframing what they thought they knew
- Actionable – helps them see their role in what happens next by clarifying what needs attention now and why it matters
When those three conditions are met, you’ll have a data story that does more than inform. It resonates. It speaks to the realities your audience is navigating, creating the kind of clarity they need to move a decision forward.
So, how will you know if the story has been compelling? One of the clearest signals is the comments leaders make following a presentation. When it isn’t compelling, the questions echo the same old refrain of “Why does that matter?” “I’m not convinced,” or “Can you explain that number to me one more time?”
When it is compelling, the tone shifts. You’re more likely to hear (or say) “This changes things,” “I hadn’t looked at it that way,” or “So what do you think the next step should be?”
In other words, the conversation shifts. It moves away from debating the data and moves toward conversation around the outcome and action.
Misconceptions about what makes a story compelling
One of the biggest mistakes data storytellers make is assuming something is compelling because it feels compelling to them. But a story only compels when it offers the audience something they didn’t already know. When people with deep subject expertise are presented with information they consider obvious, they’re not compelled. They’re bored.
Compelling also doesn’t mean keeping your audience in suspense, waiting for a mind-blowing insight or dramatic reveal. A compelling story doesn’t hinge on a twist. It hinges on whether it either confirms or shifts a pattern of thinking so the room can move closer to the decision that needs to be made.
In fact, the opposite of suspense is often the more compelling approach. Strong storytellers state their direction from the start and make clear whether they are offering a recommendation or seeking guidance. That clarity allows the discussion to move forward.
When a presentation opens this way, the scope is set. It prevents the story from wandering into irrelevant spaces and primes the audience for what’s to come, earning their attention in those crucial first 60 seconds. It helps keep the story focused on what matters so the storyteller can follow through on the promise they made at the beginning.
The limitations of compelling data stories
Sometimes a story can be technically compelling and tick all the boxes, but it still doesn’t land. Leaders are often balancing competing forces that may not be obvious, such as timing, political issues, operational constraints, competing priorities, or simply too many initiatives already underway.
Under these circumstances, the story can be clear, strong, and impactful, yet still not result in action. Not because it wasn’t compelling, but because other forces outweighed it in the moment.
Maybe the cost is too high right now.
Maybe the organization isn’t ready to confront the implications.
Maybe the decision-maker agrees privately but cannot support it publicly.
None of this makes the analysis less valuable. It simply reflects the realities leaders navigate every day.
This is why understanding your audience goes far deeper than knowing their role or objectives. It requires understanding the tensions they’re balancing. What might this story cost them? What decisions may be colliding with this one? What barriers will they have to overcome if they say yes?
A data storyteller’s job is not to eliminate those forces. It’s to create a story that reduces the number of easy reasons to look away – one that’s harder to dismiss, even if the timing isn’t right.
Not every story will move forward. But a compelling one makes it far more difficult for decision-makers to walk away without considering the consequences.
The point of being compelling
Compelling stories shift conversations. They move audiences from reviewing information to focusing on what matters, why it matters now, and what the room needs to decide next. They create clarity that’s hard to ignore.
Are you ready for your team to move from reporting to influencing? Storylytics helps teams build the skills to do it with confidence, shaping conversations that lead to stronger decisions. Book a consultation or contact us to start building a team that creates truly compelling data stories
