Ten Steps To Effective Business Storytelling
In this extract from his book Winning Conversations, Sydney-based strategy and decision making consultant, Bryan Whitefield (pictured below), offers his top tips to ensure your business is getting its story across…
Most often the stories we remember from our childhood and teen years have heroes and villains, or at least challenges. There is a start, a ‘journey’ and a sad or happy ending. Okay, occasionally some artistic type likes to leave you with an unresolved ending. Not my cup of tea, and certainly not one I would recommend if you wish to influence someone.
For the purpose of creating your stories of influence, let’s keep it very simple. Here is what a story consists of:
- A character: Characters can be people (real or imagined), animals or objects (for example, the story of a tree that grows from a seedling, produces food for the forest animals and eventually dies). Multiple characters can make the story more entertaining or Too many can get confusing.
- An incident: Something must A good story often has plenty of sub-incidents that you can choose to bring in or leave out.
- A point: Every story must have a point to it — or rather, you use it to make a point to your audience. Most stories can be used to make more than one point, but don’t try to make too many!
How do you construct your stories and get them match fit for the game of influencing?
- Collate
You have lots of stories. You just need to bring them all to mind, collate them and store them in one place. I store mine in Evernote, tagged as ‘story’. As a strong memory comes to mind, write just a few words about it. For all your personal stories you can move on to step 2. For your non-personal stories, you will need to do some research about a well-known figure to find a great story about them, assuming you don’t already know one. Ultimately you will have a long list of potential stories. You need only one good story to get you going, but if you can find the time now you should work up about a dozen to give you a broad base from which you can select to suit any influencing situation.
- Characterise
Write down the main character and any supporting characters for each story. Add a few points about them that provide you with material to embellish the story and give it colour. Perhaps note what they were wearing, what they were doing, where they were or where they were going.
- Analyse
Set down the main incident, any key ancillary incidents and a few points about each.
- Conceptualise
For each story, think about concepts you might be able to link it to. For example, my story about my daughter giving me Reinbeers for Christmas could be linked to ideas around simple
gift giving, ingenuity, resourcefulness and many more. Write down a few for each of your stories.
- Compose
Now it’s time to compose your story. While you need not actually write up three-minute, one-minute and 30-second versions, keep in mind that in some circumstances you may need to leave out much of the detail to make your point quickly and concisely. One trick is to first write up the 30-second version and then embellish the story to give it some colour, for example adding more detail about characters or the incident. You could use a metaphor or analogy — feel free to use a thesaurus to find new ways of expressing a point.
Once you have finished, put it aside for a few days then review it cold to see how it strikes you then. My father-in-law was in advertising well before the days of personal computers. He would often write a piece and mail it to himself. While in the post it was out of sight, out of mind.
- Stand
Okay, you have stories and ideas of what you could link them to. Now it’s time to identify your audience and pick a story for them. First you need to stand in their shoes so you have a good understanding of them. Then use the Story Impact Wheel.
- Impact
Based on your analysis of your audience and how you want to influence them, decide what impact you are aiming for.
For example, if the person is a senior executive in another business unit, you may want to get them to feel differently about your project. Maybe their blinkered view blinds them to the possibilities, so you want to get them to think differently. Perhaps you got off to a poor start with them, and you want to persuade them to like you and your project. Or maybe, given how important your project is to you and the organisation, it is going to take such a leap of faith for this executive to buy in that you need to find some love.
- Select
Now select a story from those you have collated. If, for example, you want the executive to think differently about the project, you need to surprise them into a different thought pattern. You could use a personal story or one about a well-known person.
In my first book, DECIDE, I wanted to make a point about working hard and smart versus just working hard or avoiding the hard work altogether. I found a story about Mark Twain and the Linotype machine, invented, not by Twain, in the late 19th century to mass produce newspapers. (The Linotype machine was still producing the New York Times until 1978, almost a century later.) In the story Twain invests in a similar machine, James Paige’s Paige Compositor. They came second in the race to invent a mass-producing machine and this was a major contributor to, if not the cause of Twain’s bankruptcy. Both Paige and the successful inventor, Ottmar Mergenthaler, worked hard, but Mergenthaler worked smarter and designed a machine that was cheaper and more reliable and was in the market three years earlier than Paige’s. Paige was guilty of trying to create the perfect machine, which resulted in his machine having 18,000 parts and being markedly more expensive! I now use the story to impress on internal advisers that the secret to blue ribbon is simplicity in design.
In my experience, if you look for stories in your fields of interest you will more easily find something you can use to make a person feel or think differently. You will enjoy the process of discovering the story and enjoy it even more when you use it. Because you are able to share that joy, you will also draw people to like or maybe even love you and want to follow in your footsteps.
- Check
Check you have not picked the wrong story, and that you are above the line on the Story Ladder.
- Practise
The more you practise your stories, the better you will get at delivering them. You can practise by yourself in front of a mirror. Better still, practise on friends and colleagues.
What should be the focus of your practice? This story should help guide you.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Bryan WhitefieldLatest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.