What is storytelling in business?

It’s not gossip

It’s not

lying

It’s creating action & change

The audience can be clients, peers, employees, collaborators, business partners and media channels. In short, everyone.

Storytelling example:A computer company tells a story to its channel partners about why they created a new product or service.

Storytelling example:A company creates a story for media outlets about how a new strategy resulted in top line revenue growth.

Storytelling can be used across disciplines. Marketing,

leadership, communications, sales, HR, organizational

development, etc.

Storytelling spans media types: web videos, blogs, podcasts, branded content.

Who tells stories? All these companies, and

more.

Example: Pepsi used the Uncle Drew series of branded content

to popularize Pepsi Max.

Example: Google’s Parisian Love Ad crammed 10 product features into a video less than a minute long, without mentioning the

features at all.

Why use storytelling?

It works!

Pepsi Max has over 70M YouTube views for their branded content.

Malaysia Airlines rolled out fastest

e-ticketing implementation for

a major airline using storytelling.

Cultural UbiquityStories exist in every society and transcend

racial identity, ideologies, philosophies and religious beliefs.

HistoryStories have been told visually for tens of thousands of years. e.g. El Castillo paintings in

Spain, Lascaux in France.

Historical significanceOral storytelling traditions have existed since the dawn of humankind to transfer knowledge, to teach lessons….

…and yes, to sell stuff.

Socio-cultural constantStorytelling is weaved into who we, as humans are, and is important for passing down traditions and norms.

Scientific explanationBroca and Wernicke’s areas in the brain are related to production and comprehension of words. Powerpoint and hard facts activate these areas…..

….but when subjects hear

stories, other parts of brain are activated.

e.g. Motor cortex activated

when active event is

described, sensory cortex activated when

descriptive metaphors are

used.

Stories influence listeners

In famous experiment at Princeton University, brain pattern of listeners was identical to

storyteller’s when she told them a story!

The point is….

So what are the

implications of this

research?

We can use stories to

motivate behavior.

We can use descriptive and interesting stories to engage

our audience and create a strong identity for our

businesses.

We can use stories to give

meaning to numbers.

We can use stories to lead more

effectively.

What kinds of stories

can we tell?

Possible story topics: Solving a problem Reason for action Special events Your history or future Your unique people

...tons more

How do we tell good stories?

6 simple rules

1. Know your audience and tailor your story to them.

“Most people don’t listen withthe intent to understand; theylisten with the intent to reply”

Stephen Covey

Avoid doing this!

2. Be authentic and truthful.

3. KISS (Keep it simple and sweet). No need to be complex or

try to be epic.

4. Follow the Story Arc, which is a great basic

framework for storytelling.

5. Allow your personality to shine through

– in short, be you.

6. Be creative and take some risks. Try new things in your storytelling to differentiate yourself.

What do we tell ourstories with?

Ideally, all forms of media! Web video, print, website, blog, podcast, etc.

Key is to have a consistent story.

Use the channels that already work for you, but be open to exploring other channels.

Why use storytelling?

Stories humanize us and help us form connections. In a world where human connections help us accomplish everything, storytelling is the most effective way for us to succeed, whatever we’re trying to accomplish.