The art (and science) of great storytelling.

Ever since I can remember, storytelling has always been a passion of mine. I always think of it as one of the best ways to communicate, to connect and to be memorable.

Everyone loves a good story. I am reminded of that every night as I read storybook after storybook to my three year old (to which she responds with, “more!”).

Last week, I had the honour to speak at Interactive Minds’ Digital Summit.

My talk was on the art and science of storytelling – which is so critically important today, as we get bombarded with content from all directions as the pace of digital media continues to grow. Against this modern landscape, how can brands tell its story - and stand out?

Here are some of the tips that I shared, with some examples of work from GE:

1. The audience is king.

When you create content, you need to put your audience at the heart of your stories. Last year we created a science fiction podcast called The Message. It took our users on a fascinating journey over 8 episodes to decode a message from outer space with a team of scientists. The podcast was downloaded more than a million times in its first eight weeks, and our users made it to No. 1 on iTunes.

2. Be unexpected.

It wasn't that long ago that the number of networks could be counted on a single hand. Today, there are so many opportunities for discovery that you have to be unexpected to cut through the noise. Being unexpected gives you currency. It compels people to think more deeply about your brand. Like what it means to be unimpossible. Or, what to do when it rains octopuses. And, what happens when you collaborate with a DJ to create the sound of industry.

3. Don’t be afraid to go first.

GE is often among the first brands to uncover new platforms and pioneer first-to-market activations – like Drone Week, a Facebook Messenger Bot for World Emoji Day and virtual reality. It is in our DNA to keep on experimenting. The risk of going first, ofcourse, is that you could fail. But the risk of going after others is even greater – you could be ordinary. Find bold ways to tell your story and embrace failure when it happens.

4. Create extraordinary experiences.

Some of our most successful campaigns happen when we invite people to participate and engage. I think the massive explosion of Pokemon Go speaks precisely to this point – people don’t just want to be served up content or consume stories passively. They want to experience it. Examples: GE’s “moon boot” sneakers. And “I ate GE's 'hottest' hot sauce and lived to tell about it”.

5. Be human.

Great stories are not just relevant, they are relatable. Some of our most moving stories talk to how technology is driving human impact, how it’s making the world a better place to live in. The impact that technology can make on infant and maternal mortality at the remote Enga province in Papua New Guinea. Teaching kids how to code so that they’re equipped for the jobs of the future. And, poking a little fun at ourselves as we transform into a digital industrial company. These human stories are often the most powerful because when you touch people on an emotional level, you really connect.

6. Think like a publisher.

Underpinning all of this, ofcourse, is our content marketing platform, GE Reports. We launched GE Reports in 2013 with one single focus – to give our users quality content that is well-researched, timely and tells people things that they don’t already know.

7. Be data-driven.

Here’s where the science of storytelling comes in. Today, as digital marketers, we have access to a gigantic volume of data. Never before can we see so much. Who engages with our content. Their habits. Their reactions. Their preferred platforms. And which piece of content is having the most impact. Make use of this data to drive your strategy, your content and your measurement. By being data-driven you can keep on iterating, moving fast to create stories you know your audiences want.

So, how do you tell your story?