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How to use a story to pack a bigger punch

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath identify stories as one of the six keys to communicating your ideas in a way that makes them pack a bigger punch and stick in your audience’s minds…forever.

Here’s an example of this in action. This story is from a talk I gave on resilience. The technique I share in the video is what I call Instant Perspective, which basically boils down to asking “Is this going to be a big deal a year from now?”

While I could have just shared this question with audience, the audience might have likely just thought “I already know that technique.”

To make the point more interesting and more enjoyable for the audience, I wrapped the technique in this story. I’ve had people come up to me and say they heard this story years ago and have told it to their friends…that’s the power of storytelling.

 

 

For More On How to Use Stories to Become a More Interesting and Persuasive Communicator
If you want to learn more about how to use stories to make your message come alive, come to upcoming seminar:

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

 

When: June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

For more information

How not to suck when the media comes calling

john lee dumas

You finally get your chance to talk about your awesome business or business idea.

You’re not the only one who doesn’t want you to suck at the interview.

Whoever is interviewing you needs you to be interesting.

They need you to say things that that will captivate their readers or listeners.

They don’t want you to speak in generalities, abstractions, or platitudes.

They DO want you to tell stories and give examples of your key points.

One of the best ways to learn how to tell stories that make the media and podcasters want to interview you–and that make potential prospects light up when you talk–is to listen to the interviews on EntrepreneurOnFire.com.

You will get great examples of how to do it well and…

…you will occasionally hear examples of people bombing.

When guest do NOT tell stories, host John Lee Dumas is not at all shy about letting them know they are not delivering.

He will also coach them on how to actually tell a story as he had originally requested.

It’s sort of like “Shark Tank for Entrepreneurial Storytelling” minus the bruising feedback (yet still candid and very useful).

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Note: for MSCW attendees, David Lee will be doing a partner event on Wed June 24th from 12:45-1:45 title Tell a Better Story. Become More Interesting. Grow Your Business. Here’s the scoop

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Let me give you an example of how NOT to answer a question if you’re being interviewed.

John:  Give us one of those examples,  because we like the aerial perception. Then we dive into a real story, a real example. We want to be there with you when this happened recently. Tell us a story.

Interviewee: One of the things that I do on a regular basis is I do video book reviews of other experts’ books. I’m a huge believer in shining the spotlight on other experts. You obviously, John, are the same way with your show and with your whole empire that you’ve built.

But I think the more value that we can add, the more that we can feature and leverage other people, shine the spotlight on others, post on other people’s Facebook walls messages of gratitude and thanks and sharing the impact that they’ve had on you personally and professionally, showcasing other people’s book reviews.

One of the little mantras that I have as well is people are not tired of hearing from us. They really aren’t. What they are tired of is they’re tired of hearing from you about you. So who else can you raise up? Who else can you showcase and feature and leverage and point out, because really as experts we’re continually seeking expertise.

The more that I shine the spotlight on others the more that shines back on me as someone who is looking to take care of my audience and my tribe and my readers and my followers. So I do that daily, weekly, monthly, always.

John: … great focus. But again, you still haven’t told us one story of you doing that in actual practice. Let’s hear it… I want to hear about a failure. I don’t want to hear about an overarching vague failure and what happened and why. I want you  to take us down to a day, a time, a moment that you failed. I want to be there with you, when you failed. Take us to that moment in time and share with us the lessons you learned from that.

Notice how the interviewee’s answer is abstract. He talks in general terms and take away messages. While his message is valuable, it is neither moving nor memorable. You don’t feel drawn into it like you do a story. There’s no drama. There’s no movie playing in your head about what happened.

Compare that response with the gripping story Mike Michalowicz told in his interview:

Take Away Message

Use  examples and short stories to make your important points come to life. –So for instance, in this post, I could have just exhorted you to use stories in your interviewees and explained why. However, by sharing a story of what it sounds like when you don’t do that…and then sharing a story of when the interviewee DOES tell a story…it’s much clearer what I’m saying and—hopefully—makes the point hit home far more forcefully.

To Apply

  1. Listen to EntrepreneurOnFire.com to get schooled in storytelling
  2. Collect examples and stories that illustrate your key messages
  3. Get coaching if you’re unsure of how to tell a good story or aren’t sure about the stories you’re  using

For More On How to Use Stories to Become a More Interesting and Persuasive Communicator
If you want to learn more about how to use stories to make your message come alive, come to upcoming seminar:

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

 

When: June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

For more information

How to take a “Ah hah!” moment and turn it into a teaching story

As I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, the question I get asked most frequently by people who want to use stories to become a more interesting communicator is…

“Where do you find stories to use in your presentations?”

The answer:

Everywhere.

The key:

Pay attention to when you have an “Ah hah!” or “Wow…that was cool” or “Now THAT was a surprise” moment and then ask:

  1. What are possible take away lessons?
  2. How might I use what just happened as a metaphor to explain some concept I frequently explain?

In this short video, here’s an example of this. The story is also an example of how to open a presentation with a story that both illustrates what you are going to talk about and…how what you are about to talk about will benefit the audience.

Showing the audience in the very beginning how what you will share will benefit them is a great way to grab their attention and motivate them to listen.

Stories are a powerful way to do that.

For More On How to Use Stories to Become a More Interesting and Persuasive Communicator
If you want to learn more about how to use stories to make your message come alive, come to upcoming seminar:

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

 

When: June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

For more information

 

From Yawn to “Tell me more”

How to Get Your Prospects, Clients, and Audience to Care More About What You Have to Say By Using Stories

Successful financial plansHe was killing me.

His non-stop description of the service he provides and all the details, background research, etc. was putting me into a coma.

Not wanting to be rude, I politely listened, but tried to indicate with vigorous head nods and quiet  “Yup…got it…” comments that we could move on to the next point.

Oblivious to my signals–or perhaps because he didn’t know an alternative approach–he continued to root around in the weeds.

At one point, he said something like “I don’t want to bore you with all the details” and then continued to do so.

I bet you have been on the receiving end of this type of sales conversation and you know how painful it is.

Have you been on the other side?

Have you been “that guy”?

If you are not using stories to show how your product or service helps people like your prospect and businesses just like your prospect’s, you probably are losing people that you could otherwise help.

 

Why Should You Use Stories in Your Sales and Consulting Conversations?

  1. We all love interesting stories. Ever notice how you perk up when a speaker tells a story rather than talks about concepts and ideas at an abstract, 30,000 foot level?
  2. They involve people at a more visceral, emotional level than if you just share facts and talk logic, which make your points far more persuasive and your message far more memorable.
  3. Because of points #1 and #2, when you tell stories well, you and your ideas become FAR more interesting to other people….which makes you a welcome guest wherever you go.
  4. They enable you to answer the “What’s in it for me?” question going on in your prospect’s head in a far more fascinating and powerful way…again…because it connects with them at an emotional, easy-to-relate-to level.
  5. They enable you to challenge someone’s objections or perspective in a respectful, non-confrontational way (after all…you’re just sharing a story about a conversation you had with another person, or an experience you had).
  6. They enable you to make complicated, difficult-to-understand, or industry-specific concepts and practices understandable to someone not in your field. Remember a confused mind loses interest and chooses inaction.
  7. When you tell the right story and tell it the right way, you are able to communicate how good you are in a subtle non-Donald-Trumpish way.

Two Stories You Must Master

While there are a number of story genres you can use to become a more compelling and influential communicator, let’s get you started with two.

Whether you are talking one-on-one, presenting to an audience, or writing, you want to use Pain stories and Pain and Promise stories.

I opened this post with a Pain story.

Rather than open with an admonition that you need to tell stories if you want to engage prospects, clients, and audiences more effectively, I shared a story of what happens when we don’t.

I shared that story because I wanted you to recall how you feel in those situations and therefore understand at a visceral level why it’s critical to “not be that guy.”

Pain stories are also a great way to start off a presentation. They immediately hook your audience into the pain that would motivate them to listen to your ideas and to your proposition.

The Pain and Promise story starts out with the pain, and then describes what happened once you helped that person or business with their source of pain. It communicates in a non-salesy way “Here’s what can happen to you if you work with me or buy my product.”

 

For More On How to Use Stories to Become a More Interesting and Persuasive Communicator

If you want to learn more about how to use stories to make your message come alive, come to upcoming seminar:

 

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

 

When: June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

For more information

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

When: June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

Entrance Fee: $10 (please bring cash) includes a light lunch

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

Who should attend: Business owners, self-employed professionals, leaders and others who want to communicate the value of their ideas, service, and business in a more compelling, interesting, and persuasive way… whether in front of a group or one-to-one.

 

MSCWWould you like to grab an audience’s attention from the beginning and have them hungering to hear more about you and your business…all the while feeling more comfortable and confident speaking in front of a group than you imagined possible?

Tell good stories.

Would you like the media to find you fascinating and article-worthy?

Tell short, fascinating stories.

Want to make your ideas hit home at an emotional level, so rather than people thinking “Oh…that’s interesting” you leave them feeling moved?

Tell stories that impact viscerally, like a punch in the stomach.

Want your audience to never forget your message?

You got it…tell a great story, or better still, tell several.

There’s a reason why storytelling is hot in the business world. Experts in marketing, selling, branding, leadership, and presentation skills are all talking about and writing about the power of effective storytelling.

In this program, you will learn how to use stories about you, your business, your customers, and everyday life to:

 

  • Breathe life into your web copy
  • Captivate your audiences when you get the chance to speak
  • Make your marketing messages interesting and unique
  • Make your message unforgettable

In this interactive program, we will explore a few of the many story genres you can use to dial up the power and fascination factor in all of your communication.

Where: O’Maine Studio, Portland, Maine

Entrance Fee: $10 (please bring cash) includes a light lunch

 

Use an Analogy to Pack a Punch: Togue Brawn shows you how

Togue holding scallopsTwo weeks ago, I heard one of the coolest examples of how analogies make your point pack a punch. It happened at a “pitch fest” hosted by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development’s  Top Gun program.

Ten entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to an audience of several hundred, competing for a $10,000 prize. It was also a chance to hone their  pitch craft.

Several entrepreneurs stood out for their speaking skill.

One of them was Togue Brawn, founder of Maine Dayboat Scallops. who will be speaking on June 24th at the upcoming Maine Startup and Create Week.

First, she clearly had passion for the impact her business would have in the lives of her customers and the fishermen she served.

In fact, after the event, I was talking about what a dynamo she was to a seasoned angel investor–a man who has seen it all. He laughed and said, in true When Harry Met Sally fashion–“Yeah…I want whatever she’s having!”

Besides her  passion, one of the other aspects of Togue’s talk that stood out for me was how she used a powerful analogy to capture the difference her business makes.

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath cite analogies as being one of the six power tools of the communicator who wants to make their idea “sticky”–i.e. people can’t get it out of their heads.

Why are analogies such a powerful communication tool?

  1. They translate the unfamiliar into the familiar…making your idea easier to understand.
  2. They translate the abstract into the tangible. The brain has a much easier time processing concrete images and situations from real life than it does making sense out of abstract concepts. Also, because concrete images and real life situations have a strong sensory component, they evoke more emotions that abstract ideas that only involve the intellect. BTW…notice that this point is an abstract concept. Now…let’s share a specific situation and concrete image that will make this point much more understandable.

Before you hear Togue’s analogy, here’s some quick context, so it makes more sense…

As part of her Origin Story, she shared her epiphany about the plight of Maine’s scallop fishermen and their customers. Most commercially fished scallops that are caught in federal waters in boats that are out to sea for a week or more. These scallops, when sold to consumers as “fresh” can be 12 days old. Maine’s scallop fishermen are all of the dayboat variety, meaning they go out and come back with their catch in one day.

Their scallops are a day old. But…because no delivery system existed to get these into customers’ hands, Maine day scallop fishermen can’t charge the premium price their premium product deserves. Instead, their uber-fresh scallops have to go to the same processing plants as the federal water harvested scallops that are several day’s old. So day old scallops get mixed in with a week or more old scallops.

Now here’s the analogy Togue used to make her point about how this didn’t make sense:

“That’s like pouring a bottle of Dom Perignon into a bathtub of Barefoot bubbly,” she noted.

When I heard that, I thought “Score! What a way to capture the difference.”

While there’s a reason why Barefoot wine is a popular brand, there’s a reason why Dom Perignon has a cachet that popular consumer brands’ don’t. If you made Dom Perignon, would you want it blended into any popular consumer wine and sold at that price or…would you want to get the price your product should command?

While giving the factual differences between scallops harvested in federal waters vs. those harvested by local scallop fishermen made for a clear comparison at the abstract, intellectual level, Togue’s analogy made it tangible. The listener could instantly get the difference at a deeper, more experiential level.

Hence, the power of a good analogy.

So…if you want YOUR ideas to pack a punch, start generating analogies to make your points hit home.

To learn more about how to use analogies and stories to make your ideas more interesting and persuasive, come to:

Tell a better story. Become more interesting. Grow your business.

 June 24rd · 12:45PM-1:45PM

Who should attend: Business owners, self-employed professionals, leaders and others who want to communicate the value of their ideas, service, and business in a more compelling, interesting, and persuasive way… whether in front of a group or one-to-one.

Where: O’Maine Studio

Fee: $10 for attendees at Maine Startup and Create Week, $15 for non-attendees (includes lunch)

A Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Program

 

 

 

More great examples of how to tell a story from Entrepreneuronfire.com

john lee dumas

If you are an entrepreneur who wants to be a more interesting interviewee or speaker, one of THE best places to get schooled in this is John Lee Dumas’s podcast Entrepreneur on Fire.

When it comes to the importance of communicating your message via stories–and not abstract terms and speaking at the 30,000 foot level–John totally gets it.

And…he’s not shy about calling out guests who don’t tell stories after he asks for one (and has sent them prep material ahead of time). I’ll be dissecting one of these examples soon, but in the meantime, here’s an example of how to do it right.

Check out Podcast 703 of EntrepreneursOnFire for more great examples of how to tell compelling stories.

In this episode, John Lee Dumas interviews David Long of MyEmployees.com.

While I recommend listening to the whole interview, the two stories I want to highlight here start at 8:15 and then at 15:06. They are worth listening to solely for the messages about turning adversity into opportunity and “going for it,” they are also worth listening to simply because they are great examples of how to tell a story.

As you listen to Dave share these two experiences, notice how you can imagine being there with him. It isn’t a dry account of a series of events, but rather compelling stories that draw you in and evoke your emotions.

So…listen away and experience some more excellent examples of how to tell compelling stories from Entrepreneursonfire.com.

Podcast 703 with David Long

To learn more about how to be a great storyteller, check out Powerful Storytelling Techniques

How NOT to Blow Your Big Chance When Speaking In Front of a Group

blah blah blah

A while back I witnessed yet another sad example of someone squandering one of the most precious marketing opportunities possible: getting the chance to present in front of a group of potential buyers.

This happened at an association meeting of customer service professionals. A rep from  a CRM (customer relationship management) software company had the chance to give a five minute “commercial” because his  company had sponsored the event.

Rather than use his precious time to communicate how his business helps solve problems that were relevant to the audience, he simply talked about his company and stated facts about the customer service industry that were common knowledge to anyone in the industry.

People waited patiently until he was over so the “real speaker”  (yours truly) could get up and talk to them about the topic they really were interested in.

I felt bad for this man and his company because I knew they had spent a lot of money to get the chance to tell people how their product could help them, and all he accomplished was boring the audience.

Does this sound familiar?

Have you ever been “that guy”?

Maybe you also have been the main speaker at an event or a breakout session at a conference, and found yourself doing what a lot of vendor reps and consultants who aren’t professional  speakers do. Maybe you did any or all of the following:

  1. Started off with a lame joke.
  2. Transitioned into a long description of what your company does.
  3. Spent most of your time giving a “State of the Union” speech that merely reminds the audience  of all the problems they were facing and had come to get answers to.
  4. Gave 30,000 foot high “answers” that are commonsense, such as “Give great customer service”, “You need to have quality employees if you’re going to give quality customer service” or “Turnover is costing you a lot; so it’s important to stop turnover.”
  5. Read off of your PowerPoint slides….bullet point list item after bullet point list item.

Does this sound hauntingly familiar?

If so, it’s time to upgrade your presentational approach by adding stories and concrete examples.

Make Your Presentation Exponentially More Interesting and Persuasive By Adding Three Story Genres

Here are three types of stories that will make your presentation—whether it’s five minutes or sixty minutes—far more fascinating and persuasive.

1. “I Feel Your Pain” Stories –This story genre includes stories of your own experience that mirrors the audience’s major challenges. It also includes stories of clients or customers with challenges that mirror the audience’s. Either way, you are letting them know “I know where you are coming from.” You are also reminding them of the pain the unsolved problem is causing them.

By reminding them of the pain they have, you increase their desire to listen to what you’re going to tell them. So one way to start off with a bang is to tell a story that immediately taps into their pain and…shows that you “get them.”

So for instance, when I do programs on how to engage people in constructive conversations around difficult topics, I often start off with a really difficult conversation I once had with a co-worker. In the opening, I usually only tell the first part of the story, where I share how angry I was at him and how I obsessed about my not having a witty comeback, and how I plotted my revenge. When I share this with groups, I see nods of recognition. They know what it’s like and…they get it that I have faced the same struggles as they have. My story also reminds them of the pain they have felt because of conflict they were unwilling to address because they didn’t think they had the skills to make the conversation work.

2. Price and Promise Stories – Share a story about how a client or customer of yours was dealing with a problem the audience can relate to, and how your solution made a difference. Price and Promise Stories make clear the price the audience member pays for NOT addressing the problem, and the benefits of successfully addressing the problem.

As in the “I Feel Your Pain” story, Price and Promise Stories are designed to heighten the audience’s interest and make them want to hear more. However, don’t go into describing your solution, step-by-step,  if you start off with this type of story. When you start off with a Price and Promise Story, it’s meant as a tool to spark interest.

Later on in your presentation when you are describing how you solve the audience’s relevant problems, you can use this story genre to describe what you do. You can also use an “open loop” Price and Promise Story to start your presentation. Thi  is where you share the “before picture”—i.e. the “problem state”—and then  tell the audience  that you will share with them later in the session what you did to achieve a positive outcome.
This is called “salting”, as in “making them thirsty for what you are going to tell them”.  The story I started off this post with is an example of salting. It starts off with a story that communicates “This is the price you pay for being an uninteresting speaker…a huge lost marketing opportunity”. While I don’t explicitly say “Keep reading and I will tell you how to rectify this”, you understand that is where we are going. If you can relate to the story, you wanted to hear more about how NOT to be “that guy.”

 

3. “What I mean by that” Stories – These stories take your key concepts and help listeners understand what they mean at an emotional and visceral level, rather than have them vaguely  understood at an intellectual story. When we use abstract terms without concrete examples, we risk people either not understanding what we mean or….believing they do understand, when in fact they don’t.

You prevent this from happening by following each key point with “So for instance…” or “Here’s an example of what I mean…”, and then giving a concrete example or sharing a short story that illustrates that point.

Doing this will make a HUGE difference in your audience’s ability to comprehend what you’re saying.

So for instance, when I give programs on constructive conversations, I talk about the language pattern I call The Multiple Choice Opener. This language pattern makes it more comfortable for people to speak honestly about a tough issue. When I describe the Multiple Choice Opener, I don’t just list the characteristics of this language pattern. I give the audience an example. I say “So…for instance…let’s say you did a performance review with Mary…” I then describe the scenario and how the Multiple Choice Opener would be used in the situation.

Other times, I illustrate what the Multiple Choice Opener looks and sounds like in real life by sharing a short story about  my using this language pattern with my young daughter when she seemed displeased with the idea of helping me wash dishes.

By giving a concrete example or sharing a short story, you help the listener play a movie inside their mind of what you are talking about, so they understand what it looks and sounds like in real life.

By making abstract terms concrete, you help your listeners move beyond “sort of knowing intellectually” what you are saying to fully grasping at an experiential level what you mean and why it’s significant.  When this happens, your message becomes more understandable, more interesting, and more persuasive.

So Use Stories to Make Your Points More Understandable and Your Presentations More Compelling

So…don’t be like the typical vendor or professional who does great work or has a great product, but doesn’t know how to talk about it in a way that makes others want to listen.

Don’t blow your big opportunity to spread your message when you do get the chance to speak in front of a group.

Start off your presentations with a story and, use stories and examples to make your points come alive.

Doing so will make you a far more fascinating and compelling speaker.

Adding storytelling to your presentations will also making speaking a lot more fun for you, and… it will make listening to you a lot more fun for your audience.

 

For examples of these types of stories, check out the Blog Category:

Presentation Opening Stories

For information on the Make Your Presentation Opportunity a Hit program, contact me at david (at) storiesthatchange.com

Far From Over Reminds Us That, No Matter How We Might Feel…”It’s Far From Over”

I want to share the video below both because of its message and because it is a great example of how you can take a story, whether in written form or through video, and use it as a teaching metaphor.

The video comes courtesy of friend and colleague John Brubaker, aka Coach Bru. 

John, a master at taking everyday experiences and turning them into teaching stories, shared the video below on Facebook, with the comment:

“Don’t despair if your 2015 has gotten off to a slow start. It’s “far from over” & this could be you..”

You might feel like that or, you might feel like:

  •  One or more important goals are seeming so out of reach.
  • You haven’t accomplished anywhere near what you think you should (whether in the last year or in your life).
  • You’ve been struggling with something, perhaps getting a business off the ground, writing that book, or maybe something in your personal life that seems never-ending, and it seems like the “light of day” will never come.

Do any of these resonate with you?

OK…let’s watch the video.

When you’re done, here are a few ways you can use it as a teaching tool:

  1. In your own life, use it to reflect on situations like the ones mentioned above.
  2. In a workshop where you want to help shift people into a more empowered, possibility-filled state, have them watch this video, or one like it. Then, have them either write about, or brainstorm with a partner, how they can see their situation in a new light and what they can do to make progress in it.
  3. As an example for you to be on the lookout for other inspiring videos and stories to help people shift from helpless or “I can’t” to hopeful and “I can.”

 

 

When you’re done watching it, here are a few ways you can use it as a teaching tool:

  1. In your own life, use it to reflect on situations like the ones mentioned above.
  2. As a way to shift people’s state from feeling hopeless to hopeful. After you have them watch the video–or videos like it–have them either write about, or brainstorm with a partner, how they can see their situation in a new light and what they can do to make progress in it.
  3. As an example for you to be on the lookout for other inspiring videos and stories to help people shift from helpless or “I can’t” to hopeful and “I can.”

 

An Origin Story with Drama, Romance, and… Chocolate

Jacques websiteCheck out Liz Welch’s interview with NYC chocolatier Jacques Torres for a great example of an inspiring Origin Story. His story is also a great example of how stories provide both “inspiration and simulation” (one of my favorite quotes from Chip and Dan Heath of Made to Stick fame).

Not only does his story capture the challenge and drama of the start-up experience–and make him and his company more fascinating–it also provides useful lessons to start-up entrepreneurs, including:

1. His firm decision to NOT take outside investment money and why.

2. Taking lemons–in the form of Valentine’s Day lollipops that weren’t selling–and turning it into lemonade–by adding a quirky twist. The result: a blockbuster hit.

As you read it, notice that it doesn’t come across as a documentary, but as a drama, complete with struggle and overcoming. That’s what you want in your Origin Story.

If you’re looking for examples of how to tell your business’s Origin Story, here’s a good example to study.