How to Tell a Great Vacation Story

"It's important to know which details to share and which ones not to share," she says. "Intestinal distress is a good example. It's not that it's not a good thing to say that you ate something bad and got sick in a particular restaurant, but you need to know when to stop sharing details."

Practice

As with all things that you want to do well, practicing your stories ahead of time isn't bad idea -- try them out on your friends and family before you trot 'em out in a business situation.

There's no need to overdo, of course.

"You don't need rehearse it in front of the mirror, you're not a comedian on stage trying to deliver the perfect line, but think a little a bit ahead of time," says Leffel. "What's the focus of your story, what's the hook, the gist, the climax? You're not trying to sell anything, but you also don't want the person losing interest," he says.

Losing your audience in the middle of your story, for instance, is a sure sign you need to practice more.

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