Business Storytelling Made Easy | Kelly Parker | TEDxBalchStreet

Summary

This 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

00:00

📚 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.

05:02

🎨 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.

10:04

💍 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.

Keywords

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of telling stories to engage and inspire an audience. In the video, it's described as a powerful tool for marketing and leadership, capable of connecting, persuading, and influencing mindset, beliefs, and behavior. The speaker emphasizes that stories are not just for entertainment but are essential for making memorable and impactful messages, as they can make facts more memorable and create a deep connection between the storyteller and the audience.

💡Problem and Pursuit

The 'Problem and Pursuit' refers to understanding the current issues (problem) and the desired future state (pursuit) of the audience. This concept is central to the video's message on effective storytelling. The speaker suggests that before telling a story, one must deeply understand the audience's problems and aspirations to craft a narrative that resonates with them. For instance, Liz J Simpson is highlighted for her ability to extract elements from her clients' problems and pursuits to create personalized marketing messages.

💡Connection

Connection in the context of the video refers to the bond or link established between the storyteller and the audience through the narrative. The speaker mentions that stories create powerful connections that make the audience feel understood and valued. This connection is crucial for persuading the audience and influencing their behavior, as it makes the storyteller's proposals more appealing and relatable.

💡Influence

Influence is the ability to affect or change someone's behavior, beliefs, or actions. The video underscores the power of stories to influence the audience by making them feel seen and understood. Stories can sway the audience's mindset and behavior, as they are more likely to accept proposals or make changes when they see a character they relate to making similar changes.

💡Memorable

Memorable in the video script means something that is easily recalled or leaves a lasting impression. The speaker argues that stories make messages memorable, which is supported by research suggesting that facts are more likely to be remembered when they are part of a story. This is crucial for marketing and leadership, as memorable stories can stand out in a cluttered information environment.

💡Proposal

A proposal in the video is a suggestion or offer made to the audience, such as buying a product, trying a service, or joining a cause. The speaker discusses how stories can make proposals more appealing by building credibility, trust, and connection. The narrative should lead up to the proposal in a way that feels like a natural progression, making the audience more likely to accept the offer.

💡Audience Understanding

Understanding the audience is emphasized as a prerequisite for effective storytelling. It involves knowing their problems, pursuits, and feelings to craft a story that resonates with them. The video gives an example of how the speaker, as a corporate marketer, uses this understanding to bring stories to life and create impactful marketing campaigns.

💡Specificity

Specificity in storytelling means including distinct characteristics and details that the audience can relate to. The video explains that being specific helps paint a vivid picture and create a memorable story. For example, Nike's ads with LeBron James focus on his relatable challenge of overcoming obstacles, using specific imagery to evoke a progression of feelings from defeat to victory.

💡Brainwave Synchronization

Brainwave synchronization refers to the phenomenon where the brainwaves of the listener start to mirror those of the storyteller as they become engrossed in the story. This concept from the video illustrates the deep connection that stories can create, enhancing comprehension and empathy between the storyteller and the audience.

💡Behavior Change

Behavior change is the modification of habits or actions, often encouraged through storytelling. The video cites a healthcare context where people are more likely to adopt healthier habits if they see a relatable character making similar changes. This highlights the persuasive power of stories to inspire real-life behavior changes in the audience.

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