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Scooped by Karen Dietz onto Just Story It |
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Your Storytelling Brain http://t.co/RQPGybbi via @bigthink - Suggest giving this a look - how are you sharing your business story?
Confabulation and narrative coherence -- how our brian works and the significance of stories for our ability to make sense of the world. What a great read and video!
The more we know the science behind WHY stories work, the more control we have over the HOW -- art of crafting and sharing our business stories.
I'm glad this article came along today!
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It's a necessary prerequisite for persuasion. (Good post on how to understand another's point of view.
Karen Dietz's insight:
It's easy to say, "Hey, just tell a story and you'll start a relationship." But if our stories do not connect to the person's real needs and issues, we are whistling in the wind. So understanding your audience -- whether as an individual or as a group -- is critical for your biz stories to make a difference. Which is why I selected this article. I don't find too many posts on this topic, which is one reason why I brought it in to this collection. And it is also a really good article. The authors provide specific steps and questions to ask that will allow you to connect more directly with your audience. They will come away from the convesation/story sharing with you saying, "He/she really got me!" That's a double-entendre by the way :) I hope you get some great ideas from this article, and that your influence skills continue to soar. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 
SooJin-Stella Lee's comment,
April 30, 7:08 AM
Thank you ^^ I definitely need these sort of information. And I learend lots of things from your strategies to do well in scoop.it.
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Moving beyond just hearing, to listening is an important skill to refine.
Karen Dietz's insight:
Today I'm curating 2 articles on an essential storytelling skill -- listening. I like this first article because it makes the point that when we are evoking and listening to the stories of our prospects and customers, our ears need to be tuned to listening for their needs. It's easy to get caught up in the drama of the story. But while you are listening, are you also trying to hear what needs are being expressed? Connecting with the needs of customers/prospects is where all the gold is. If the stories you share in return do not connect with those needs, your business does not grow. There's a handy chart that helps explain this, and some helpful perspectives. But the article left me wondering, "So how do I really listen for those needs? What do I have to do that I'm not doing now?" So the next article focuses on those how-to tips. Happy listening! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 
streetsmartprof's comment,
April 12, 8:03 AM
Great finds for those of us in customer facing roles, which is every employee, some-way, some-how.
Karen Dietz's comment,
April 12, 3:12 PM
Many thanks for the additional review and comment! Love the way you think :)
Ken Jondahl's comment,
April 12, 6:13 PM
Driven in to me by many years of battle scares of what works and what doesn't...
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Customers own the story of the brand now. What brands say is far less important than what brands actually do to serve the well being of the faithful. Whereas before, the brand conversation was based on delivery and interruption, successful...
Karen Dietz's insight:
What a great article that goes a long way in de-mystefying brand storytelling! I particularly like the emphasis on brand storytelling creating deep affinity if done right, that chemistry is part of the equation, and that it is a strategic imperative, not a promotional tactic. With these attitudes in mind, this brings brand storytelling out of the realm of mere transaction into an ongoing relationship between company and customer. The authors Derrick Daye and Brad VanAuken then go on to talk about the drivers of brand storytelling: purpose, method, and opportunity. I wish they had included company examples -- good, bad, or indifferent -- to illustrate their points. Nevertheless, their article does help us all know the steps we need to take to either create or further enhance our brand storytelling. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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What's the story of your business? Are you wondering how storytelling can help your marketing and sales? To learn about the power of storytelling, I inter
Karen Dietz's insight:
Here is a very thorough post with a number of resources to share about why and how stories matter in growing your business. If you feel lost or overwhelmed with all of the Internet material available on business storytelling, this is a really good overview for you. And for the rest of us, it is a great refresher. Enjoy digging into this over the weekend and the holiday. It's a perfect way to finish off the year. And thank you to Alessio Manca @liveconnection for finding this article and sharing it with me! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 
Alessio Manca's comment,
December 31, 2012 3:42 AM
Glad You Liked the Suggestion Karen :) To me... Storytelling it's You!
Karen Dietz's comment,
December 31, 2012 5:59 PM
With great people like you looking out for wonderful things to share, truly I am blessed, as are my readers!
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Using the power of storytelling, organizations can create not only more seamless cross-departmental interactions, but create more emotionally engaging customer experiences.
Karen Dietz's insight:
Here is what I really like about this article: It encourages enterprises to think about how customers interface with their organization, and to re-craft those interactions through the lense of storytelling. Why? To provide customers engaging experiences, who will then turn around and tell great stories about your organization -- building raving fans. Fabulous! This is quite a unique perspective in corporate storytelling -- and a much needed one. Following the tenents suggested here may not be easy, but will be worth it in the long run. This is a meaty article that will take a few more minutes to digest. If you are an influencer in a larger company or a consultant to one, then this article bears paying attention to. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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I've rescooped this article from fellow curator John Kratz because I thought it was so good. It is a great example of how a company ramped up business once it started sharing stories of its customers -- with customers as the heros. Take notes folks! And thanks John for finding and sharing this article. The year is 2008 and you are in the Financial Services Business.
"How do you turn a quiet, sales-driven organization into a B2B marketing powerhouse?"
"Consider the story of Lincoln Financial Group, a traditionally sales-centric organization... The 106-year-old financial services, insurance, and annuities company..."
"Lincoln Financial had previously conducted research showing that the more people take charge of their lives, including their finances, the better they feel about the direction of their lives."
"While others in the category seemed to be drawn to using fear in their advertising, we felt the time was right to try a new, more optimistic approach."
"...the campaign showcased a video of women of all ages showing how they take charge of their lives and provided educational content to help women do just that. The PR focused on the research results. The Chief Life Officer ads continued the "take charge, optimistic theme," which was reinforced in social media.
"And how has the integrated campaign done?"
Read the success story here: http://www.fastcompany.com/3002425/creating-winning-b2b-integrated-marketing-campaign Via Ken Jondahl, John Kratz Delete the scoop?
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If you’re only developing content with consumption in mind, you’re missing a huge opportunity to keep momentum going as prospective buyers move through the buying cycle. I've said this before -- biz storytelling is about engagement, not simply broadcasting messages. This is the first article I've found that actually tries to break down the different types of conversations you want your biz stories to spark or serve. I disagree with the distinction between dialogue and conversation. I think a better distinction to make is between messaging and conversation. And stories are often shared within a conversation. Conversations are not necessarily storytelling. So that is my nit-pick for today. I really wish the author, Stephanie Tilton, would have included examples for each type of conversation mentioned. She tries to explain the different conversations but I need examples this morning in order to get ideas for how to apply her advice. Or maybe I'm just too tired this morning! So there are 2 lessons here -- 1) target your storytelling to the conversations you want to promote and help along; and 2) make sure when you write content you give examples so you don't make it so hard for your readers to apply your insights. I also really like the point the author makes about shifting from talking to listening, and shifting to serial storytelling in your business. OK -- I'm heading into the kitchen for some more coffee! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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How to use two basic plots to define your business’ content strategy, while keeping the customer as the hero of the story. I love this article! It puts anyone's content strategy into a fabulous storytelling context, and gives all of us a way to think about our websites from a narrative perspective. The ideas here are very helpful and fun to play with. The author, Kat French, did a good job. Using The Quest story format, you can easily share your customers stories. Using The Boy Meets Girl format, you can evaluate your website and tell/share your biz stories much better. The other blog post links at the end of the article look worthy of exploration also. So go enjoy this delightful -- and helpful -- piece! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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In our social media-infused world, traditional marketing logic just doesn't work. I had earmarked this article to share with you awhile ago and just found it again when cleaning up my emails. Better late than never! Here's what I love about this post -- it makes no bones about the fact that marketing is changing. And if you haven't gotten with the program, get on board quick! Now, I don't agree that ALL traditional marketing techniques are dead. But the author Bill Lee sure does make a great case explaining how things are changing. And his statistics are riveting. And I also like that he shares with us what we need to do to stay with the curve:
What's story got to do with it? Stories are the way the points above happen. It's all about the stories you share, listen to, promote, ask for, engage with, and retell. And hint hint -- these are your customer stories mostly! Go read the article for all of Lee's insights. This will post will definitely get you thinking differently. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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To really know customers you must engage them face-to-face. 
Victoria Morgia Jamolod-Umbo's comment,
September 6, 2012 9:32 AM
Yes, I am so impressed about this illustration of a fact. Through consistency and perseverance of digging the actual facts and remedies to problems, we can solve problems. It may not be so easy as we thought it could be, but with the proper motivation, we surely can get the optimum results to our goals.
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Editor's Note: This fictionalized case study will appear in a forthcoming issue of Harvard Business Review, along with commentary from experts and readers. Fiction Smiction -- I run across this scenario regularly in my story work. Particularly with companies with a strong aesthetic vision. So the case study is very real. It's a great read. And a perfect example of using a storied case study (not all case studies are, BTW). But to get back to the dilemma --
Can't wait to hear your responses :) Read the full article here: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/06/case_study_should_you_listen_t.html?awid=5160472941370235642-3271 This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Relationships are the new currency, especially now with social media giving us another world to mine and harvest great people, in addition to meeting people in person. Here's some quick food for thought: are you and your business all about relationships -- or all about transactions? Working with stories in business well is all about relationships. So are you on the right track and what attitudes go along with this? This article is a quick read and a good barometer to know if you need to up your biz relationship game. And I love this at the end of the article: "Remember, the WE in Your Social ME-dia works. . ." Read the full article here: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/06/7-attitudes-make-you-relationship-centric.html This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Every use of your website is a conversation started by a site visitor. Think about it: why do people come to your site or app? If you read my review and article on this same page ("Forget About Content Management...") about moving away from content management systems to developing audience development systems, then this article explains more about how to do that. Yeah! I really like the specific examples and concrete steps laid out in this post. It all makes sense to me! Once again, while never mentioning storytelling per se, the article is all about using stories and story elements to generate conversations and engagement with customers/prospects. Like: converse with personal prounouns, invoke action using verbs, and write visually. Sounds like storytelling to me. So go grab this article and its tips so you can continue developing audiences and engagement to build business success. Review written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Listening Skills are essential in any interpersonal relationship and for all interpersonal communication. Learn about the 10 principles of listening and improve your commuication skills.
Karen Dietz's insight:
Saying we need to listen for customer needs is one thing, but how do you actually do that? This article gives us 10 tips for how to listen so we gain insight into customer and prospect needs. And also I like the chart about how much time we spend communicating and listening. It really shows how we in business need to listen more! Want to see better results in your business? Focus on listening.... This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/tjust-story-it 
malek's curator insight,
April 11, 7:11 PM
How to use "active listening" to make a conscious effort to hear and understand what customers are saying. 
Brian Yanish - MarketingHits.com's curator insight,
April 12, 12:24 AM
Good skills for both work and home. "If speaking is silver, then listening is gold." - Proverb
Karen Dietz's comment,
April 18, 2:56 PM
Thank you for the comments Malek & Brian! And I love the proverb your shared :)
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"More than ever before, people see through the self-serving tactics and techniques that others use to persuade them."
"They don't like being pushed, played or nudged to comply, and they resist and resent agenda-driven influencers."
"The alternative is to use real influence to inspire buy-in and commitment."
"To invite genuine buy-in and engagement, we need to listen with a strong personal motive to learn and understand." by Mark Goulston and John Ullmen
Read more: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/03/for_real_influence_use_level_f.html Via Ken Jondahl
Karen Dietz's insight:
It's the week of listening! Here's the 3rd article in 2 days about ways to improve our listening skills. Well, all I can say is, it must be time to focus on listening :) This is what I love about this article that fellow curator Ken Jondahl found: it talks about the 4 types of listening we typically do. And how to avoid those experiences. And how to engage in the kind of listening that does produce powerful insights and results. Yeah. So go listen better and have fun practicing this weekend!
Ken Jondahl's curator insight,
March 24, 6:24 PM
The authors discuss all 4 levels of listening and how the first 3 fall short.
In sales and marketing the power of story comes alive when we truly listen to our customers using level 4 as described in the article. However, there are many things which get in the way.
If you are in sales or marketing, think about how the customer feels when we do not "tend their story" using level 4 and what bad things can happen. Think about your good and bad "buying" experiences.
Was the person actively listening to your issues and needs? Or were they focused on something else?
To receive a story in sales, be prepared to go first and share a relevant story. Then actively listen and connect with the person telling their story in return.
In story selling, to "positively influence change" we need to build trust one story at a time. Just remember, the majority of these stories should be those of the customer. Delete the scoop?
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As marketers we all know that storytelling is an essential part of connecting with prospects and customers. Scott Monty (@scottmonty) and his team at Ford
Karen Dietz's insight:
Want to know how to really tell your customers stories and have them grow your business? Than watch this video and check out the other resources from Ford. We all need to see examples of what is working in biz storytelling and Ford provides several. It's not only Ford's customers sharing stories -- it's Ford's strategic use of storytelling to attract new customers, re-launch a product, or increase engagement. And as you watch the videos, pay close attention to how the stories are structured, framed, and told. No matter what size business you are -- for profit or non-profit -- there are ideas here for you. Enjoy exploring this material! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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L.L. Bean: The importance of relationships [via storytelling] in CRM and social in CSR - Brian Solis
Great example of the power of #storytelling -> L.L. Bean: The importance of relationships in CRM and social in CSR http://t.co/93Qtz6ua
Karen Dietz's insight:
This is a terrific example of how a company (L. L. Bean) is using customer stories effectively. And the blog post is a great story! Think about this for your own business or organization. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Online conversion forms like PayPal’s registration page (right) are invariably formatted exactly like printed forms such as this credit card application (left)—approximately as fun to complete as a hazing ritual, despite having exactly the opposite... I love love love this article because it points to another new application for using narrative or story elements in your business. Specifically here -- by re-designing the web forms on your site. Or frankly ANY form you ask a customer to fill out. Who knew??!! The examples here are terrific and so are the tips. It is a very thorough article and one you will get a lot from. So go read it and start changing those forms! Link to original article: http://blog.kissmetrics.com/narrative-web-forms/ This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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"Despite working in marketing for more than 10 years, let me first share this rare point of view among people in my industry: a lot of marketing actually IS complete BS." Hallelujah! Finally someone is calling a spade a spade. We periodically need articles like this to keep us on the straight and narrow path. And to make sure we are continuing to build credibility instead of undermining it with our stories. Is all marketing BS? No. Are all stories BS? No. However, is it starting to feel like marketing and busines stories are BS? Yes. Why?
All this leads, as the author Rohit Bhargava points out, to distrust and a believability crisis. So what is a conscientious biz storyteller to do? Follow the tips suggested here. Read the article for all the insights and tips. Oh and BTW -- despite what this article and Saturday Night Live say, and as campy/hokey as that commerical is, I get a thrill from Brad Pitt! This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 
Ord Allenbea's comment,
October 26, 2012 9:56 PM
I have been in online marketing and website development for more than 15 years. Nice to see someone actually admitting about the BS that does go on in marketing.
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See photos of your souvenirs and the stories behind them. Well, here's nifty little example of customer engagement with storytelling. It's the New York Times curating little anecdotes from readers about travel souveniers. The pieces are short and quick, and each one has a photo attached of the souvenier. What a lovely way to connect and hear from their readers! Now -- can you do something similar in your business? This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Telling is old school, pedantic, and pompous. Telling is transactional; it implies a giver and a taker. When you tell someone something, you shut down true communication. Modern, effective communication is about engagement. It’s about achieving resonance. It’s about moving beyond sympathy to empathy. Modern, effective communication is about engagement. Ahhhhh -- words of wisdom from colleague Thaler Pekar about what everyone in business needs to recognize about story dynamics. And how working with these dynamics are so critical in today's new marketing/branding landscape. I couldn't have said all better myself Thaler! Good job. Thaler writes for non-profits but the same principles apply to anyone in business -- large or small. If you've been disenchanted lately with lackluster storytelling results in your business, then these story principles should get you back on track again. Don't wait -- read this short but powerful article now. Don't get left behind. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Winning entrepreneurs bond emotionally with employees, investors and customers--and dramatically increase their chances for funding and for long term success--when they hone their ability to tell meaningful stories about their businesses. Here is an article discussing 2 examples of effective business storytelling for marketing/branding/identity purposes that really work. One is a small business (Baby Steals) and the other one is a large enterpriese (IKEA). You will notice the difference in their stories as the size of the business kicks in. Pay close attention to what the founder of Baby Steals did/does -- because implicit in the example shared are story listening skills and how the stories she was hearing from customers/prospects also shaped the success of her company. And then there are 10 tips for bringing storytelling into your business marketing/branding efforts. All are solid. A word of advice here -- working on several of these 10 tips takes time. The ideas you come up with during your first pass you will want to test with friends, colleagues, customers, and prospects. This is an iterative process where your focus and messaging gets sharper, clearer, and more powerful over time. So give yourself the opportunity to play. This goes no matter what size of business you have -- micro to large enteprise. We are heading into the 4th quarter of the year -- what a great time to hone in on your business storytelling, laying a stronger foundation for your company in 2013. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her collection of articles on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 
Ken Morrison's comment,
September 5, 2012 8:49 PM
Thank you for the recent rescoops! Hope you are having a nice weei.
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There's a rather interesting new study out of Ohio State University that says that consuming media may affect us more than we think. Stories are very powerful. The stories we read and tell ourselves influence how we be and act in the world. The stories we share with others influence how others be and act in the world. This article talks about a recent Ohio State University study showing the link between stories and behavior. Which is why the hype about storytelling in the worlds of marketing and branding give me a queasy feeling sometimes. On the other hand, if we as leaders, business owners, entreprenuers and heads of non-profits choose to do good in the world, understanding the power of stories can allow us to create our worlds and those we interact with more consciously. If you want to be a certain way as a leader or business owner, read stories that support that. As a small business or enterprise, what kinds of customers do you want to attract and work with? What kinds of employees do you want to attract to you? Figure that out and share stories in alignment with those desires. This sounds simple, is not so easy, yet there is great truth and wisdom to these notions and the conclusions of the study shared here. Makes you wonder and take pause about some of the video games out there. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Engage or Die 1. Our opportunity with social media is to do something more meaningful than just marketing. 2. Social media is not here to save you. I counted at least 12 of these 35 tips about storytelling or story elements in the quick scan I did. There are probably even more if I studied them closely. So here is another reality check this week :). Read these 35 insights and see how you rank. All are important. Som eof the onese about stories/story elements are : co-creation (#34), context (#31), bridging (#24), people (#18), and community (#9). How many more can you find? Are there more than the 12 I found? Let me know! Have fun. Get better :) Read the full article here: http://www.toprankblog.com/2011/06/social-business-smarts-brian-solis/ This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Delete the scoop?
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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. OMG -- what an amazing video! It is about 12 minutes long -- and eloquent plus thought-provoking. It is inspiring and heartfelt. I know this will feed you well. Here is how to view it through the lense of small business, enterprises, non-profit work, or social cause entrepreneurship:
In the end, your success in working with stories for engagement, connection and meaningful relationship is all about awareness, intent, and deep listening -- and getting really smart about the power of storytelling. Enjoy watching this video about the depth, richness, and beauty of storytelling that will help you truly engage with those around you. As Chimamanda says at the end, reject the single story and regain a kind of paradise. Many thanks to Gregg Morris who originally curated this for his Story and Narrative scoop.it. This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it Via Gregg Morris
Karen Dietz's comment,
June 12, 2012 10:40 AM
Many many thanks for finding and scooping this Gregg! It is awesome and I've downloaded it into my personal collection also. Wonderful, wonderful ...
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