Have you ever watched a movie and thought, “I have to see how this ends”?
That’s because great stories leave a golden thread hanging.
They introduce a question that demands an answer, forcing the audience to stick around for the resolution. Oftentimes, it’s the BIG WHY that’s revealed at the end. We know who did it, or how they did it, but we don’t know why. You can leave out any vital step in the process, just to keep the audience guessing and craving more. Because while you’re talking and hinting, their minds are actively working alongside yours to figure out the mystery.
Relatable Problem: Your audience loses interest halfway through your presentation, pitch, or story.
Pro Tip: Use the Golden Thread Method to keep them engaged:
- Introduce a mystery or question early on. (“What if I told you this single mistake was costing companies millions?”)
- Hint at the answer—but don’t give it all away. Keep them curious about the resolution.
- Create tension by delaying the payoff. Let the audience wonder what happens next.
- Close the loop with a satisfying conclusion. Resolve the mystery in a way that delivers an a-ha moment.
Example:
A Product Manager at a fintech company pitching a new payment feature opened with this:
“In 2019, one company lost $250 million because customers abandoned their checkout carts. What went wrong? They forgot to optimize one tiny—but critical—step in the payment flow. Here’s what we learned—and how our product fixes it.”
The audience leaned in. They needed to know what the mistake was.
By leaving the golden thread hanging, he ensured no one tuned out.
Want your stories to keep people hooked? Dangle the thread—they’ll follow.