Tell Lots of Stories

Story Time
Photo courtesy of Scottish Libraries

Peter Guber and Bernadette Jiwa have really got me thinking about just how powerful stories can be, not only in building a brand, but in having an impact on the people around you.

Stories are powerful because our brains are hardwired to grasp them easily.

Before the advent of the written word, human beings told oral stories for tens of thousands of years. That's how we survived and endured -- by learning through stories.

Stories cut to the chase.

Even the most complex or technically convoluted concepts can be easily understood if presented as a story. Case in point, you can expound about the wonders of your product  or service 'til you're blue in the face and many customers will still not understand. Tell them a story, on the other hand, and they will instantly "get it".

Stories are just more fun.

They entertain and enlighten. They help you to be at your persuasive best. They give you the power to break old paradigms by allowing your audience to place themselves in the role of the protagonist in your story. You have them in rapt attention. Empathy increases. Understanding ensues.

So given the power of stories, you need to ask yourself two critical questions:

(1) Am I telling enough stories?

(2) And are they good ones?