Business Storytelling Made Easy | Kelly Parker | TEDxBalchStreet
Summary
TLDRThis talk emphasizes the power of storytelling in marketing and leadership, highlighting how it can connect, persuade, and influence. It underscores the importance of understanding the audience's problems and aspirations, painting a vivid picture, and proposing solutions. The speaker shares insights on crafting stories that resonate, using examples like Nike's ads with LeBron James, and stresses the significance of timing and building trust before making a proposal. The goal is to create narratives that not only captivate but also drive action and change.
Takeaways
- 📚 Stories have a profound impact on our lives, allowing us to experience different worlds and make sense of our own.
- 🧠 Research by Jerome Bruner shows that facts are 20 times more memorable when embedded in stories.
- 🤝 Stories create a powerful connection between the storyteller and the audience, synchronizing brainwaves and fostering understanding.
- 💡 Storytelling is a potent tool in marketing and leadership, capable of connecting, persuading, and influencing mindsets, beliefs, and behaviors.
- 🚫 Avoid telling stories too soon; understand your audience's problems and pursuits to craft a relevant narrative.
- 🎨 Paint a vivid picture for your audience by using specific characters, challenges, imagery, and feelings to create a memorable story.
- 🗣️ Good story listening precedes good storytelling; it's crucial to deeply understand your audience to tell a compelling story.
- 📈 Stories can affect behavior, as seen in healthcare where relatable characters can motivate lifestyle changes.
- 💍 The power of story can turn proposals into appealing offers, making them feel like the next logical step.
- 🌟 Share your stories to connect with others, provide solutions, and potentially inspire community and fun.
Q & A
What is the significance of stories in connecting with an audience according to the speaker?
-Stories are one of the most powerful forces on the planet to connect, persuade, and influence our mindset, beliefs, and behavior. They create powerful connections between the storyteller and the listener, and can affect behavior by making proposals and offers more appealing.
How does the speaker describe the impact of stories on memory retention?
-Research by psychologist Jerome Bruner suggests that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they're part of a story.
What neurological phenomenon occurs when someone listens to a story, as mentioned in the script?
-When listening to a story, the listener's brain waves start to synchronize with those of the storyteller, especially if the listener comprehends the story well.
Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of understanding the audience's problem and pursuit before telling a story?
-Understanding the audience's problem and pursuit is crucial because it allows the storyteller to deeply connect with the audience, making the story more relevant and impactful.
What is the role of specificity in storytelling as discussed in the script?
-Specificity in storytelling is essential as it helps paint a vivid picture for the audience, making the story more relatable and memorable. It involves including distinguishable characteristics that the audience can identify with.
How does the speaker illustrate the concept of 'painting a picture' in storytelling?
-The speaker uses the example of Nike's ads with LeBron James, which focus on his relatable challenge of overcoming obstacles, and use specific imagery to represent a progression of feelings.
What is the significance of the year 2004 in the speaker's personal story?
-In 2004, the speaker experienced a romantic marriage proposal that was perfectly timed and set amidst close family and friends, illustrating the power of a well-crafted story in a real-life context.
How does the speaker contrast the speaker's own proposal story with Curtis's public proposal?
-The speaker contrasts her own successful and well-received proposal with Curtis's public proposal, which was rejected. This contrast highlights the importance of timing and the emotional connection in storytelling.
What principle does the speaker attribute to the effectiveness of storytelling in proposals?
-The speaker attributes the effectiveness of storytelling in proposals to the principle of giving before asking, as discussed by Gary Vaynerchuk in his book 'Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook'.
Why does the speaker encourage telling more stories in the conclusion of the script?
-The speaker encourages telling more stories because they can help people find connection, community, and fun, and can serve a bigger purpose by resonating with the audience's problems and pursuits.
Outlines
📚 The Power of Storytelling
The speaker fondly recalls their childhood experience with 'Ramona the Pest' by Beverly Cleary, highlighting how stories can transport us to different worlds and help us understand our own. They emphasize storytelling as a powerful tool for connection, persuasion, and influence, citing research by Jerome Bruner that shows facts are more memorable when part of a story. The speaker also discusses the neurological synchronization between storyteller and listener, as discovered by Princeton University's Elena Rankin and Yuri Hassan, which enhances comprehension and connection. The narrative then shifts to the application of storytelling in marketing and leadership, suggesting that stories can make proposals more appealing and effective, and warns against the common mistake of telling stories too soon without understanding the audience's problems and pursuits.
🎨 Painting a Vivid Story
The speaker underscores the importance of understanding the audience's problem and pursuit to craft effective stories. They advocate for specificity in storytelling, suggesting that a specific person, challenge, imagery, and feelings are crucial for creating a relatable and memorable narrative. Using Nike's advertising with LeBron James as an example, the speaker illustrates how specific imagery and a progression of feelings can resonate with the audience and inspire action. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's personal anecdote of a marriage proposal, contrasting a successful and a failed one to emphasize the impact of storytelling on proposals and the importance of getting the timing right.
💍 The Art of Proposal Through Storytelling
In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the role of storytelling in making proposals compelling. They compare the storytelling process to a marriage proposal, noting that stories should not be rushed, aligning with Gary Vaynerchuk's principle of giving before asking. The speaker argues that stories help build credibility and trust, making the audience more receptive to proposals. They also highlight how stories humanize businesses and brands, making the audience feel more connected. The paragraph concludes with an encouragement to tell more stories, suggesting that personal narratives of loss, victory, or life lessons can deeply resonate with the audience and make them more likely to accept the proposals presented.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Storytelling
💡Problem and Pursuit
💡Connection
💡Influence
💡Memorable
💡Proposal
💡Audience Understanding
💡Specificity
💡Brainwave Synchronization
💡Behavior Change
Highlights
Stories have the power to transport us and make us feel connected to characters and their experiences.
Storytelling is a potent tool for marketing and leadership due to its ability to connect, persuade, and influence.
Research by Jerome Bruner suggests stories make facts 20 times more memorable.
Stories synchronize brainwaves between the storyteller and listener, enhancing comprehension and connection.
Narratives can influence behavior, as seen in healthcare where relatable characters encourage lifestyle changes.
Effective storytelling requires understanding the audience's problems and pursuits before crafting a narrative.
Good storytelling involves painting a vivid picture that resonates with the audience's specific challenges and aspirations.
Nike's advertising strategy uses specific imagery and relatable challenges to connect with audiences.
Stories should be specific, not lengthy, to make them memorable and impactful.
Understanding the audience's problem and pursuit is crucial for crafting a compelling story.
Stories can make proposals and offers more appealing by building credibility and trust.
The principle of 'give before you ask' is key in storytelling, as it positions the storyteller as a giver.
Stories humanize businesses and brands, making audiences more receptive to proposals.
The right story at the right time can make an audience feel that your proposal is the logical next step.
Encouraging audiences to take action with confidence is the goal of a well-told story.
Personal stories of loss, win, or life lessons can deeply resonate with audiences and create a strong connection.
Stories have the potential to provide connection, community, and fun, as experienced through Beverly Cleary's works.
Transcripts
[Applause]
do you remember the first time you heard
a really good story
one of my first times was when i read
ramona the pest by beverly cleary
as a kid i love to curl up in my
favorite chair in our living room and
transport myself into the misadventures
of ramona quimby
even now i remember how my heart would
race reading about her getting into
trouble over and over for misbehaving
at the same time as a shy suburban kid
who often took myself a little bit too
seriously
i really admired her fun-loving attitude
in her carefree spirit
i've always loved stories because they
allow me to experience other worlds i
didn't know anything about
yet help me make sense of my own world
at the same time
but stories aren't just for books or
movies or entertainment
they're one of the most powerful forces
on the planet to connect
persuade and influence our mindset
beliefs and behavior
and that's why storytelling is one of
the most powerful marketing and
leadership tools there is
in a world cluttered with forgettable
lackluster messages
stories make us memorable
research conducted by psychologist
jerome bruner suggests that facts are 20
times more likely to be remembered if
they're part of the story
not only that stories create powerful
connections between the storyteller and
the story listener
elena rankin writes yuri hassan
professor of psychology and neuroscience
at princeton university
discovered that as you hear a story
unfold
your brain waves actually start to
synchronize with those of the
storyteller
the greater the listener's comprehension
the more closely the brainwave patterns
mirrored each other
kind of brings a whole new meaning to
the phrase get on the same wavelength
right
but here's the best part of all
stories are proven to affect behavior
let's take the healthcare context for
example
melanie green a communication professor
at the university of buffalo says that
people are more likely to make changes
to their lifestyle and health habits if
they see a character they relate to
making the same change
and so
if you've ever wanted to get anyone to
do anything
you would do well to learn how to tell
better stories
yet too often we're telling the wrong
stories or we're not telling them at all
and in effect we're wasting our time
and our precious dollars on programs
campaigns and initiatives that sorely
miss the mark
well i've been studying stories since i
was a kid and i've been bringing them to
life for more than a decade as a
professional corporate marketer
and today i want to show you the easy
way to create your own stories that
connect persuade influence and break
through all the clutter
so let's start at the beginning
number one the problem and the pursuit
the problem and the pursuit
you know i believe the worst story of
all is the one that is told too soon
and truly this is a very common mistake
that aspiring storytellers make
we launch into a story and don't know
the first thing about who we're talking
to
before you're qualified to tell anything
you must deeply understand your
audience's problem
and pursuit
their problem is where they are right
now
it's the issues that they're facing in
their current state and how they feel
about it
their pursuit is where they want to be
it's who they want to be and it's how
they will feel in this future perfect
world
business development expert and linkedin
top sales influencer liz j simpson knows
a little something about understanding
her audience's problem and pursuit
to create messages for her email
marketing her website and her social
media content she listens to her clients
and then begins to extract specific
elements from what they've said and
infuses it into her language and her
visuals
the effect
is a resounding girl
how did you do that
because every time i see something from
you it feels like you're talking
directly to me
now how does she do it
simply because she's taking time to
understand her audience's problem and
pursuit now how did she get that
understanding
well it's because she's living out a
very powerful storytelling principle
which is this
good story listening
always comes before good story
telling
and so number one if you want to tell a
good story you have to understand your
audience's problem and pursuit number
two you have to be able to paint them a
picture
you have to be able to co-create a
reality that shows you understand the
problem yet hence at a better future
to do this you'll need a specific person
a specific
challenge specific imagery and specific
feelings
did i mention you should be specific
now specific doesn't mean long and drawn
out it just means you want to include
some distinguishable characteristics
that your audience can relate to
it's the reason why nike's ads with
lebron james don't include a bunch of
close-up shots of shoes they're selling
they don't need to
they found the perfect person in lebron
james
to represent a specific relatable
challenge
namely overcoming obstacles to beat an
opponent
then they utilize specific imagery to
represent a specific progression of
feelings like
defeat
and discouragement to hope
and victory
and resilience
and once you've been gripped by a story
like that doesn't it almost go without
saying that you want to wear the same
sports gear lebron james does
to inspire action and shift beliefs
paint a vivid picture for your audience
through words and imagery that they can
instantly recall when they think of you
and so if you're gonna tell a good story
you have to number one know your
audience's problem in pursuit
you must number two paint them a picture
that they can remember and repeat and
finally
number three you must propose
you must propose
the year was 2004.
i was a senior at kent state university
at the time and my boyfriend was holding
a get-together at his home which i of
course attended
and suddenly
when i least expected it there were
roses
there was music and right there in front
of all my closest family and friends he
got down on one knee
he pulled out a ring and in an instant
all my little girl marriage proposal
fantasies came true
on the other hand we have
curtis
curtis
couple years back was at a local outdoor
music event and at the end of the event
he invited his girlfriend jackie to come
up on stage with him
and so jackie begins to wade through the
crowd and find her way to the stage and
she climbs the steps to the stage and
she gets up there and she's standing up
there looking at curtis
the only problem was
she's looking at him
like this
undaunted
curtis begins to pour out his heart
and he says
jackie baby
i love you girl
he says jackie baby
you've been like an angel in my life
he said jackie baby
the writing is all over the wall
i want to spend the rest of my life with
you
and he too gets down on one knee and he
too pulls out a ring and he says jackie
will you marry me
and right there
from all those people
jackie looked him dead in the eye and
she said i'm sorry but
no
and walked off the stage
this is the tension we stand in
as marketers and leaders
because we're constantly making
proposals
buy my product try my service come to my
event join my cause
and as much as we want to hear that
enthusiastic yes
we're also pretty afraid of the
rejection of no
i mean let's be real especially a public
rejection like curtis's
where despite your best efforts your
preparation and your good intentions
it just fell
flat
but this is the power of story
because stories make proposals extremely
appealing and stack the odds in your
favor
first stories help you get the timing
right
how many of you know nobody wants you to
propose marriage on the first date
but too often we expect our audiences to
commit too soon
well-placed stories slow down the
process just enough for you to build
credibility and trust
it's the principle that new york times
bestselling author gary vaynerchuk talks
about in his book jab jab jab right hook
how to tell your story in a noisy social
world
the idea is to give before you ask
and to give much more than you ask
good stories position us to be givers
before we expect to receive
not only that stories make proposals
irresistible because they allow us to
build connection
stories masterfully and feels a human
element into our businesses our brands
and our programs that draws people in
so much so that by the time you do go in
for the ask like any good proposal it
simply feels like the next logical step
you see stories are more than stories
they are the connective tissue that
links you to the solution in people's
minds so that by the time you do present
your solution or propose your offer they
say
it's about time
i've been waiting for this
and once you've told your story
with all the confidence in the world ask
invite propose shout it from the
rooftops
because by that time if you found the
right people
the next step you're suggesting is
something they'll want just as much as
you do
and so
tell more stories
in fact tell your stories
it might be the details surrounding your
greatest losses your greatest wins or
the context in which you've learned your
greatest life lessons
that will paint the pictures
that will let people know
you understand my problem
and you understand my pursuit
absolutely i would love to accept your
proposal
then who knows maybe your stories will
serve a bigger purpose
maybe they'll help someone find
connection community
and a little bit of fun just like so
many years ago
beverly cleary stories did for me
thank you
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