Just Story It

Story professional and colleague Thaler Pekar wrote this helpful post that is a companion piece to the article I just curated on where to find stories in your organization: http://www.giftworksconnect.com/2013/04/scouring-for-stories/ 

What I love about Pekar's article is that the 3 ways she lists are more about effective processes for finding stories instead of a list of who to talk with.

She tackles evoking a story in person, tips for when someone writes a story for you, and then tips for videoing a story.

Again, this post is written for nonprofits, but the same tips apply to any type of business.

Between these 2 articles, I hope you find and capture the amazing stories that I know surround you!

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Hey folks -- looking for a great biz story professional to help you or refer to someone else?

Then here's the list for you! My biz story colleague Shawn Callahan in Australia put together this awesome list.

I am honored to be in such great company, but frankly, I am more thrilled to see my fellow colleagues and friends on the list because I think they are awesome too. And I am happy to give them a shout out.

Everyone's website is listed by their name, so go explore. But mine is listed incorrectly, so go visit me at www.juststoryit.com 

And if you haven't heard yet, I'm writing "Business Storytelling for Dummies" with colleague Lori Silverman for Wiley Publishers that will be out this Fall. Yeah! I'll keep you posted. Right now it's nose to the grindstone to meet the writing deadlines :)

Happy day everyone!

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 

Here's a short, quick but powerful recounting of how my colleague Shawn Callahan is using story, story elements, and story formats to help companies articulate their strategy. It is very informative!

We need more stories like this to help us all understand how powerful working with stories can be in different applications. I love the process Shawn used. In particular I like how he encourages his clients to stay in the questioning and possibilities stage before jumping into solution finding.

This is an underlying and profound place to remain because thinking gets clearer and sharper. And better pathways emerge for implementation than searching for the immediate quick answers.

What few people realize is that this is a little recognized story dynamic. If with our own business stories, if we are able to share our stories and at the same time understand that those stories are constantly in a state of flux and flow -- where understanding about their meanings and implications evolve over time -- then both the stories and the response to our environment improves.

Relating to our stories this way means we are in a continual state of discovery. Hmmmm, is the meaning of this story changing? What is the point of the story in the context I find myself in now? What is this story really pointing to? Are there other ways to tell this story that sheds a different light on the business?

BTW -- being in this place is kind of fun. It's like being a detective in a mystery book.

In our demand for immediacy, this can be a hard position to maintain. Yet it is an essential dynamic, and a quality of excellence, in storytelling. Relating to our stories from this place is the 'art' part of storytelling instead of the 'science' part of it.

Well, I hope this article and my little review gives you lots to think about.

What are your business stories continually teaching you? How can these insights help you with your strategies and generating solutions?

Thank you Shawn for this fabulous piece and the thought-provoking questions it generates!

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

This article is all about how to leverage your geographic location for business advantage.

That idea is not new, but I like how this article treats the topic. The author, Mark McNeilly, makes the point that everybody wants to know where your business is located. So why not really use that as a marketing angle?

He gives clear examples of how location can influence your customer's perception about you. He suggest avoiding postcard branding -- that's where you put a picture of the Eiffel Tower on your package but you don't live in Paris.

McNeilly next makes several points, with examples, about connecting your story to your geographic location. Like Chrysler's 'imported from Detroit' campaign and microbreweries that are gaining repution because of how they are leveraging their location.

Now the question remains in my mind -- in what ways can I connect living in San Diego, CA to my story curation, consutling, and coaching busines? Hmmmmm....I may have to go to the beach to ponder that one :)

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Now here is a very provocative piece! It's web producer and publisher Adam Westbrook proposing a new idea for visual storytelling on the web. Or suggesting we start looking for one. Either way, Westbrook is definitely on the cutting edge.

Even better, this is all presented in story form. With a very different kind of visual presentation than you are used to. So Westbrook is walking his talk here.

Both Westbook's ideas and his presentation are very creative. I know you will enjoy both, and get a taste for where visual storytelling on the Internet is going.

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Here's a quick post about where to find stories about your organization that you can then share with others.

It is written for nonprofits, but frankly any organization can use the same tips.

If you get stuck wondering where to find stories, then check this list. Start with your employees and have a story gathering session where you share a story and then use a story prompt to get the ball rolling ("Tell me about a time when...").

Don't have employees? Then gather friends, vendors, select customers and others close to your business who can share their stories with you about what you do and the difference your product/service makes. 

Some of these tips require a bit of work and preparation. But it will be worth it. Stories are fun and rewarding -- to collect and listen to. 

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

I read this article and immediately thought "Wow! This is helpful for knowing how to focus stories in the sales process!"

It is written using the lens of crafting landing pages and converting readers. But don't let that stop you! The chart works for any kind of marketing/sales activity.

The less an audience knows about your product or service, says the author Brian Massey, the more you need to use stories to create awareness. Massey suggests that the more your audience knows you, the focus shifts to product and price info -- and stories are less essential.

Well, OK -- to a point. When focused solely on conversion or making the sale, I'll agree. But if you subscribe to relationship marketing -- that's connecting with prospects and turning them into loyal customers by building a long-term relationship with them (for ongoing sales), then keep telling stories all the way along the relationship matrix.

For example, in this chart when people are Most Aware of your product/service, then the stories you share are all about your customers. Product and price messages will only go so far. Share stories about your customers using your product/service and how their lives are different as a result.

For us biz storytellers, use the chart by adding 'stories' before each category along the bottom of the line:

1. Stories about product & price -- and customers
2. Stories about discoutns & deals -- and customers
3. Stories about claims and proof
4. Storis about benefits and anxieties

I hope this article gives you both ideas, and greater confidence how to focus your biz storytelling in the sales and conversion process! 

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

What a powerful article with a very simple idea: a winning structure to use for a 15-20 minute presentation!

If you are going to speak at TED or TEDx, or if you need to boil down an hour-long presentation to 15-20 minutes, how do you do it?

By following the 3 steps in the article. Written by Nick Morgan who works in public speaking, I think his advice really works.

And story is front and center. Now how great is that?!

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Now here is a new and revolutionary way to actually design a website that is a story, and tells a story.

Wow -- how great! As author John Koetsier says, Eric Ries of The Lean Startup and author Tim Ferris of The 4-Hour Body have figured out how to do this. The article explains the new way to design websites, and gives examples so you can see the difference.

This is not about taking a website and adding stories to it. That's old school -- taking a structure and trying to fit stories into it. This is about changing the website structure so the entire design matches storytelling.

Go read the article to get the full explaination and the examples. It is really cutting edge. Hmmmm -- this is making me rethink my website once again!

What do you think?

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it