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The power of a story
“Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe.
Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.”
Indian Proverb
Not me
Possibly me
Not why I’m here
Hopefully…
My ‘story’
• Marketing & communications >20 years
• Melbourne Business School, RMIT, AICD
• Health, retirement and aged care
• EGM, Brand and Business Development – Bolton Clarke
• National and international
• Built, grown, transitioned brands
• Change management programs
My ‘story’
• Once hosted a national TV music show…
My ‘story’
• Once hosted a national TV music show…
• …and had hair!
My ‘story’
To start…
The setting
The characters
The characters
The characters
The challenge
The challenge
The beginning
The obstacles
The obstacles
The villain
A culprit
Another culprit
The climax
The obstacles
The obstacles
The villain
A culprit
Another culprit
The climax
The climax
The climax…?
The resolution
Now, I could have said…
I remember I nearly missed a flight
once in the UK.
I remember I nearly missed a flight
once in the UK.
Quite stressful.
Stories matter
Connective tissue for societal and social groups
Stories matter
Connective tissue for societal and social
groups
The language of relationship
Stories matter
Connective tissue for societal and social
groups
The language of relationship
A medium through which we interpret
and explain life
Stories matter
Connective tissue for societal and social
groups
The language of relationship
A medium through which we interpret
and explain life
Build a sense of belonging and
identity
Existential
Existential
Existential
National
National
National
National
Tribal
Tribal
Tribal
Tribal
Familial
Familial
Familial
Familial
Familial
Personal
Personal
Personal
Personal
Spot quiz!
Don’t be shy
Spot quiz!
Spot quiz!
Spot quiz
Boy wizard
Spot quiz
Boy wizard
Spot quiz
Alas, poor Yorick
Spot quiz
Alas, poor Yorick
Spot quiz
One small step for man…
Spot quiz
One small step for man…
Spot quiz
Luke
Spot quiz
Luke
Spot quiz
Mama, just killed
a man…
Spot quiz
Mama, just killed
a man…
Spot quiz
Winter
is coming
Spot quiz
Winter
is coming
Spot quiz
The hills are alive
Spot quiz
The hills are alive
Spot quiz
Free,
free at last.
Spot quiz
Free,
free at last.
The key elements of storytelling
Mission / quest
Characters
Voices / tone of voice
Connection
Identification
Journey
The key elements of storytelling
Obstacles / battles / challenges
Emotion
Meaning
Outcomes (triumphs, progress, victories)
Make us THINK
Make us FEEL
The impact of story telling
Inspiration
Assurance / reassurance
Empathy
Amplification
Persuasion
Promotion
Hope
The impact of story telling
Clarification
Simplification
Preparation
Change / transformation
Explanation
Reinforcement
Connection
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
We are all story tellers
Because…
Your business is full of stories
that should be told.
Because…
Your business
IS a story that needs to be told!
The business of story telling
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.
The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.”
Steve Jobs
The business of story telling
“Purposeful storytelling isn’t show business,
it’s good business.”
Peter Guber, Entrepreneur
The business of story telling
“Ever since I started in business I have been fascinated by the intersection of
entrepreneurship and storytelling.”
Richard Branson
People want to know…
Who are you?
Where did you come from?
What do you do?
Why do you do it?
Who do you do it for?
What are your values?
Where are you going?
Why are you going there?
In other words…
In other words…
People want to know…
Can I trust you?
Can I relate to you?
Should I like you?
Should I support you?
Should I invest in you?
Can I believe in you?
Should I follow you?
Should I join you?
Should I be loyal to you?
Can I benefit from you?
Because…
“People do not buy goods and services.
They buy relationships, stories and magic.”
Seth Godin, entrepreneur and author
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Relationships, stories and magic
Just beer?
Research shows…
Stories are 22 times more memorable
than facts & figures alone
Our neural activity increases
5 times when listening to a story
Storytelling lights up the brain’s sensory cortex allowing a person to feel, hear, taste, and even smell the story
More than goods and services…
We need to tell stories that reflect and connect with those who we are in relationship with:
• Customers / beneficiaries
• Staff
• Partners
• Supporters
• Suppliers
To AirBnB or to not AirBnB? That is the question.
Baker of Beirut
Leaders and story telling
“Many top executives, trained at conventional business schools, eschew storytelling
and stick to a tight-jacketed professional approach.
They lay out their vision, goals and results using data points, graphs, Excel sheets and PowerPoint slides.
They transform the boardroom into a bored room.”
Sangeeth Varghese, author of Decide to Lead
Leaders and story telling
“No tribal Chief or Elder has ever handed out statistical reports, charts, graphs or lists of facts to explain
where the group is headed or what it must do.”
Peg Neuhauser, business author
Leaders should be…
Seekers
Advocates
Champions
Collectors
Curators
Co-creators
Authors
Publishers
Leaders must be…
Storytellers!
Guidelines for storytelling
Know your MAIN story(your ‘why’)
Tell stories that confirm your ‘why’
Find your characters –give them a voice
Take people on journeys –the big & the small
Share your challenges
Guidelines for storytelling
Have a personality / tone of voice
Engage the head, appeal to the heart
Know your audiences
Different stories to different audiences
Match channels
Be consistent
Guidelines for storytelling
Tell stories to all stakeholders
Elicit emotion
Keep it simple
Be real (don’t lie)
Be authentic (be you)
Let them know that it is YOU
The question…
Where do we tell stories?
The question really…
Where don’t we tell stories?
Everywhere…
One-on-ones
Group updates
Team meetings
Briefings
Events / conferences
AGMs
Round tables
Speeches
Everywhere…
Editorials
Media (industry, trade, public, specialist)
Websites
Social – FB, Insta, LinkedIn, YouTube etc
Blogs, vlogs, videos
Staff functions
Marketing communications
Newsletters and reports (e.g. annual report)
Breaking it down
Know what your BIG story is – tell it relentlessly
Adopt a story-telling mindset
Develop a story-telling culture - invest
Actively seek stories (characters, heroes, progress)
Tell stories to and about all stakeholders
Use and match all available channels
Support facts, data and figures with story-telling
Relationships, stories and magic
