"I don't know about you but I love a good story. That story unfolded in graphic and colorful pictures when I was three as Mom or Dad read the Cat in The Hat."
Here are the best articles from across the web that I can find on using stories and storytelling in business. I weed out all the junk. And besides, who needs another post in why storytelling is important?? Where's the beef?? We want the meat! I've written reviews of each article to share what I like best, what you can get from reading the article, or what may be missing in the article.
How To Find A Topic: Click on the Filter tab above, and type in a keyword. All the articles with that keyword will appear.
I may occassionally review an article that I think is problematic as a way to educate us all, although most I will simply pass over. If you wonder if I've seen an article that is not included here, send me a message and I'll respond.
And I hope you will also visit my website for more tips and tools, & take the free Story IQ assessment so you can see how well developed your storytelling skills and knowledge is: http://www.juststoryit.com/storyiq 
And, last Saturday morning, before I got up and on with my day, I watched his short film entitled ‘Guthrie Beach Raft’ and it got me thinking about the power of storytelling in marketing. Yes, successful marketing is all about emotions -- not facts. There are two videos to view here that make the author's point. The first video is OK -- for whatever reason it didn't really grab me. But the second video about Google Chrome is a hit! That's because it tells a very engaging story about how someone uses Google's integrated suite of tools. It's brilliant. Enjoy both of these -- and take these lessons to heart. When creating your content, decide which emotions you want to evoke in your audience and then craft your material to evoke those. As the author says, "Sometimes, facts and figures are great, but if you’re really looking to create loyalty and build a relationship with your audience then creating an emotional bond is the way forward." 
You’d think that a problem makes for an interesting story. But when it comes to telling the story of game-changing innovation, the “problem/solution” model is broken. This is why so many brands and causes have a hard time telling their story. When it comes to business, you want to introduce a paradox, not just a problem. What a great post from colleage Michael Margolis on how to re-think the problem/resolution elements of a story into presenting the possbility & then the obstacle being faced. This is an especially important insight for nonprofits to get because the problem/resolution set up starts out with a negative -- which can be a turn-off for people. As Michale says, we are surrounded by enough problems these days. So turn the problem/resolution dyamic on its head and shift to presenting the possibility/obstacle dynamic instead. That way you are leading with a positive, and then presenting the obstacle to overcome. Obviously then people's participation in the cause/business will help the obstacle be overcome. Or part of the obstacle has already been overcome with people's help. Now, I would suggest doing the same for any business -- present the possibility and the obstacle, and then the resolution or call to action. I be you'll feel better setting up your story this way, and so will your audience. Let me know how it goes! 
Merely knowing what a charity does isn’t always enough to convince potential donors to lend financial support. Sometimes you have to know who the charity does it for, too. Now how creative is this?!! I love that nonprofit Aspire uses an infographic to share a story, and also creates a very effective video story about their email campaign using the infographic. The infographic is not about the organization, but about the people it serves. Yeah! They got it right! Enjoy this material. You too can do this! And I encourage you to do so. It is quite ingenious and it will gain you results. 
My first ever interview for a sales job consisted of one question and lasted less than a minute. How I answered that question, and what followed, was one of the defining moments in my sales career. It just happened to occur before that career had even begun. Now here is a great example of effective storytelling and story selling by sales professional Andy Paul in several ways:
LOL -- Andy's a client -- can you tell?! And I love that the story is about sales, but is not trying to sell you anything. Yet after reading the story, I bet most people would be very interested in purchasing and reading Andy's book. You too can do this in your blogging and on your website. The more stories you can tell following the points above, the more trust (and sales) you will gain. Thanks for sharing one of your stories Andy! 
Websites are incredibly versatile as a medium, to be used to display information and other content, and if well designed they can do this in an enjoyable way... I really like this article because it approaches websites as a total narrative which all starts in its design. Notice I did not say text! Yep -- design comes first and that is where the narrative for your business starts. Ultimately your website needs to move the viewer along a story arc that leads them to take some action -- like buy your product/service. Treating your web pages as discrete pages is not creating an overall narrative. Sure -- the content of each page needs to be crafted as a story. But all the pages need to link together to create a narrative. This is more than just page linking in technical terms. So read this article for the insights about designing your entire website as a narrative. The author has great ideas and tips, along with examples. 
Narrative Conference 2012 CopenhagenNarrative Conference 2012...NARRATIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONS -- How can a narrative approach to dialogues be used to support employees, teams, and organizational development? In many ways, Europe is ahead of the US when it comes to approaching business and organizational culture from a narrative approach. The organizational track at this conference looks fabulous and if you have an opportunity to go -- or submit an application for a presentation -- then don't miss it. The entire conference is on narrative therapy and community work. Two of the 3 tracks are applicable for business: Narrativity in Organizations and Storymaking. If you go, I bet you will learn tons! 
In my last post I wrote about the Story Map I used to analyze stories and search for ways to incorporate brands into well known narratives. By using the same tools as Hollywood its possible to effe... Well, this is interesting -- but maybe doesn't go far enough. The map is useful. The tricky part is putting all of the elements together effectively to create a compelling story. The nuances between these elements is not always obvious. No question, these elements need to be present. But conveying tension, motivation, conflict, and empathy are done by employing either linguistic devices like contrast, triggering emotions in the reader, etc. They are subtle, powerful techniques that are more often experienced rather than told. And in the end, all business storytelling is about moving people to action. While Batman is an engaging story, it doesn't move us to take action. That is what is missing on this map, which is why I said it probably doesn't go far enough. But overall I like what is being said. Now we need to watch for the next installment where the author will share how he has used the map to create pharmaceutical brand stories. 
Everything you need to know about how to host truly unique storytelling parties. With storytelling ideas, storytelling kits, seasonal party ideas. Hey --it's Sunday and a perfect day to relax and plan for summer fun! I ran across this article that has nothing to do with business storytelling but is a treat nontheless -- Plan a storytelling party! It sure will to build storytelling skills plus learn amazing things while having a good time with friends and family. On this website there is everything you need to know to throw a successful party. Now if you really wanted to apply this to your organization, use all the ideas and suggestions here, just shift the topics to fit your needs. Throw a storytelling party for employees! Throw a storytelling party for customers! Just remember to keep having fun :) 
Welcome back to Have a HEART, Part 2, Exploring the role of EMOTIONS in todays business world. Wow -- what an information packed article on the importance of emotions in marketing, branding, customer experience and the link to effective storytelling. As I work with clients on their biz stories, identifying, articulating, and consciously working with emotions in their content and marketing is challenging for them. This article is going to be a huge assist in helping them (and you) figure it all out. There are plenty of examples and links to other resources so you will want to bookmark this article and keep digging into its material. 
Stories are one of the most powerful tools in our communications arsenal. Since the beginning of language, they continue to inspire, motivate, and engage...
I love this article because it focuses on the connection between stories, how stories create meaning, how customers are searching for meaning, and insights into using meaningful stories to create strong brands.
It's a quick but powerful read -- and it will get you thinking a bit differently about how your are working with your stories, or the opportunities you might be missing. Via Jim Signorelli 
Do not undervalue the benefit of a longer, more detailed story in providing learning experiences. Anecdotes and “training fables” can be very effective and they do have their place. If you can work in a longer story, though, you can have greater emotional involvement. That is the most effective memory resource of all. Here is what I love most about this post -- its reminder that longer stories are just as important to share as short anecdotes. In today's short-attention span world, the prevailing notion is that people have no tolerance for longer stories -- especially online. Balderdash, I say! What anyone needs to pay attention to is finding the right places for sharing those longer stories. A few questions to ask yourself are:
Read this short article to discover how the author crafted and shared his longer story. And don't sell yourself (or your audience) short by only going for those quickie stories! Via Kathy Hansen 
Hey -- it's Friday and we all need a laugh. So here's some Friday Fun :)) I love the Calvin and Hobbs comics. I ran across these today and couldn't stop grinning. OK -- so it's not winter any more but we sure can laugh now about the melted snows, and appreciate the ingenious creativity of these strips. Who knows -- maybe some of this out-of-the box thinking will rub off on our us and we'll approach our work with stories in new ways. In any event, have fun! |
Hey everyone -- this looks like a really great FREE tool for taking a bunch of data and creating a stunning visual story. I haven't tested it because I don't have a pile of data to crunch, make it look beautiful, or tell a story with it. But if you do, then I wanted to make sure I passed this along. Enjoy trying it out. 
For brands, online social networks are far from the Holy Grail of marketing. The research is clear that for brands that want to be social and generate conversation, a more powerful force is real world, face-to-face conversation. Yes yes yes!! In all the hype about social networks, engagement, and customer loyalty it is easy to forget that in the relationship economy, relationship marketing, and for a return on relationship, face-to-face marketing rules. Oh, just tell your stories digitally, on-line, in your social network or blog. Yes -- all of that is good. But as the author says, "Today’s consumer marketplace is highly social, but not because of particular platforms or technologies. The businesses that will be the most successful in the future are the ones that embrace a model that puts people– rather than technology – at the center of products, campaigns and market strategies." Research shows that 90% of word-of-mouth conversations about brands take place offline and ar primarily face-to-face. Whoah!! As the author suggests, "start a story that consumers will want to talk about. What are the messages about your brand and category that make you talkworthy?" There are many great insights in this article that I know you'll enjoy. Happy reading! 
If you only use video in an ad hoc manner (as opposed to treating it like your other channels, characterised by regular and consistent programming) you'll NEVER be able to predict success with any proof / confidence. I'm going to look at the first five ingredients now, and will follow up with the second five next week. Here's what I love about this short post -- the 5 key ingredients listed here are very practical, essential for success, yet rarely talked about. I'm bummed though that we have to wait for another blog post for the next 5 essential ingredients. The author shares about the necessity of actually creating a story instead of just promoting an idea; the beginning is super-critical; you want to take a stand; address a need; and finally, focus on evoking the right response. I particularly like his last point: "And, the only way you can avoid the subjective discussions about the quality of video content, is to create and publish video content regularly, using the insights from each video to improve the quality of the product you are producing." Now we'll just have to wait for his next post and the next 5 mandatory ingredients! ![8 Tips for nonprofit [& for profit biz] storytelling | Just Story It | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/AOKyPrlFa07w8YQAUVpCMjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
What’s your story? Finding and telling an organization’s most compelling stories is always my first step in the consulting process. Here are 8 great storytelling tips for any nonprofit or for profit business. It's all about how to find your stories. There are plenty of articles on how to tell a really engaging story that moves people to action. But where do you get those stories from? Follow these tips and you will soon have a wealth of stories to choose from! I particularly like tip #6 -- Listen. Yes! So often this is left out of the equation. We are so busy thinking about the questions to ask and how to respond that we forget that the magic in evoking stories is simply to listen delightedly -- not critically. And then tip #8 -- don't polish your stories too much. Well, keep them authentic but do clean them up a bit. There is no excuse not to have a well-crafted story. Not everyone on video is a good storyteller. And turning a recorded story into a well-written story takes crafting. My advice? Craft an awesome story while keeping it authentic --you want the person telling the story to be shown in the best light possible! 
While it may not have been popular marketing theory at the time, the most successful brands figured out decades ago that it takes character to turn a product into a brand. When a brand has character, it takes on an identity of its own. Its every word, gesture, action, became natural expressions which make the brand instantly recognizable. What is the character or persona of your brand? The company Added Value has a tool called CharacterLab that helps you figure this out. There is a free demo to try at this site. The demo will give you a series of photos and characteristics to rank. At the end it will give you the character/persona of your business -- if you are a sole proprietor. Give yourself some time to work through the demo -- it will get you thinking and the sorting isn't easy. But I was very pleased with my results! Turns out my business is characterized as the Creator/Sage. Just make sure you take notes at the end. I tried to bookmark my results, but when I tried to view that page again, it led me back to the original demo page. Bummer! But understandable. Once you have your results then the real work begins -- crafting your brand to be in alignment with your character/persona. That includes aligning the language you use, your colors and graphics, web design, and marketing materials to your character/persona. Knowing your character/persona really takes a lot of the mystery out of creating your brand and telling your stories. So go have fun! 
What do the Apple, Victoria's Secret and IKEA brands have in common? They're all from the same archetype.
The brand are "Creators," according to a case study from marketing firm Added Value.
It's all about how consumers are able to use the brands to create their own identities. Creator brands allow people to "tap into their potential and re-invent themselves — their minds, personalities, environments, bodies, ambitions, and dreams," according to the report. OK -- I curated this piece because it show how specific archetypes are reflected in organizations. It is a very brief article and starts to get us thinking about how this information can be used in marketing, branding, and advertising. But make sure to click through to Added Value http://www.added-value.com/culturaltraction/index.html and poke around their site for more info, case studies, and their tool. But here is what I find disturbing about this short post and the Added Value website -- nowhere does anyone mention that these archetypes originally came from Carol Pearson's and Margaret Mark's book The Hero and The Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes (2001) http://www.amazon.com/The-Hero-Outlaw-Extraordinary-Archetypes/dp/0071364153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337476690&sr=1-1 Enjoy poking around the websites, but go read the book!! It contains a wealth of fabulous information and how-to tips you can use immediately for articulating your brand and targeting your communications (I'm not affiliated in any way with the authors). Via Gregg Morris 
What is data storytelling? It should, but unless we can find the answer to the question “so what?” all that data just seems time-consuming. That’s why we practice data storytelling. It’s the act of data visualization before, during and after mining/analyzing data. For all of us who want to know how to share the stories data tells, then this article gives a great framework. You'll have to read down to the end, however, to get to the gold. Most of the article is about measuring social media campaigns. Then we get to the good stuff: the model for storytelling with data that contains 5 elements. The other insights are good, so grab those. Then pay attention to those 5 elements and start working on your data stories. The model should get you started. 
The only nonprofit marketing trend hotter than storytelling is visual storytelling. And the social media site Pinterest, a virtual bulletin board for interesting web pages and pictures, lends itself to visual storytelling techniques. I like these ideas here! They will definitely get you thinking more about how to effectively use Pinterest for sharing your organization's story -- whether you are a nonprofit or for-profit enterprise. Now if only Pineterest would let you group photos together within boards you could REALLY tell your stories better. I hope they add that functionality soon. In the meantime, create your boards and start pinning! Then check out the Scoop.it material by my friends and colleagues Jan Gordon and Michele Smorgon called Pinterest Watch for all the tips and tricks for leveraging Pinterest in social media campaigns http://www.scoop.it/t/pinterest-watch 
One creative and immediately available way to develop your staff outside the training classroom and “outside the box” is to turn them into what I call... What a great article that's also a quick read. Here the author gives 6 creative ideas for how employees can capture stories within your organization to keep a constant stream of stories coming in. This is what I call 'sustainable storytelling.' A ton of focus these days is on crafting and sharing your biz stories for marketing, branding, sales, etc. Read some articles, take some workshops, and you are all set. But what is mostly ignored is how to imbed storytelling as a core competence within your business. For storytelling and story sharing to be a core competence, there must be processes and structures in place to bring you a constant stream of stories to listen to, craft, and share. This article has some great ideas -- and they sound like fun, too. I hope this gets you thinking about different ways to continue to capture stories for your organization! 
This video has been a point of discussion this week among our PGi team...Challenge yourselves to be storytellers, architects and visionaries, not simply marketers or business owners, and tell a story that engages your audience on a deeper level. Oh how I love this 6min. video and oh how I love the written intro! Both the post and the video are perfect examples of the WHY behind a business or product. I curated another article earlier focusing on the WHY in order to create an effective story brand. Here is what that looks and feels like. And besides -- it's the weekend and we could all use a little inspiration. This video has it in spades. Enjoy! StoryBranding Part II-How it works- Learn about how the persuasive powers of story can be applied to your brand. This is the second video about story branding from Jim Signorelli. It is short, sweet and to the point -- focusing on WHY. By WHY, Jim means -- what is the 'why' behind your business? What is the cause behind what you do? Understanding, articulating, and communicating the WHY of your business is the first critical step in story branding. Because remember -- people don't buy the 'what', they buy the WHY. Enjoy this video and if you haven't already, start figuring out your WHY! 
Jim Signorelli outlines the 6 Cs of StoryBranding: a breakthrough approach to identify and develop a compelling brand story. Once again author Jim Signorelli nails it as he helps us understand how to effectively use stories and story elements in branding. Here he chats about the 6 C's of story branding and creating a StoryBrief:
What I like about the article is how clearly Jim connects the dots for us all. He brings a template to us for the StoryBranding process that also assists us in our communications planning. Read the article for the explaination of the steps and then get busy creating your own StoryBrief! ![How to Engage Your Customers and Employees [a road map for stories] | Just Story It | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/SXnylt1GdC-r2ZbGlEUcjjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
Most customers now ignore targeted marketing campaigns, avoid responding to offers, and provide minimal feedback when asked. Instead, potential customers interact with each other, bypassing sanitized corporate messages devoid of meaning or value. 'Engagement' is dominating the business conversation these days because it is where the world is moving to. Everybody wants customer and employee engagement. Nice concept -- but how do you do it??? When I found this article, I said "Finally, here is how to think about this whole 'engagement' thing, and how to craft some next steps!" The author clearly spells out what is involved in customer engagement. The author Ray Wang shares 9 key components of successful engagement: 3 are people-centric values (the why & your starting point), 3 are delivery & communication styles (the how), and 3 are the right-time drivers (the when). This is no easy task, and there's lots for you to figure out here as you grapple with these 9 components. I've already started making lists and jotting down ideas as I think about the culture of my small company, the community I serve and the steps I take to be credible (the 3 parts to the 3 people-centric values components). Where do STORIES come into play? In how you connect with your communities (which stories to tell), the content you share, they are your catalysts, and your currencies -- which are all part of the 9 key components. Storytelling is woven through them all. When you combine this article with the video from Amy O'Leary on "Beyond the Like Button: Digitally Addictive Storytelling & the Brain," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thVbdqY-cCg&feature=player_embedded you will move light years ahead in engaging customers and employees via stories and story sharing. These 2 pieces are some of the best material I've curated lately -- and definitely keepers in my book. |
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I love this topic that you curate, thank you, there is always very vauable information here. :) Dea.