How To Be A Master Storyteller And Grow Your Business

Creating a narrative is an important skill for your business.

The right story can motivate and encourage positive behavior change, within yourself and others.

Your stories create connection with your target audience, but also tells them why they should care about what you’re doing, or what you’re selling.

Storytelling is also the most effective way to differentiate yourself from not only every other business in your market, but from everyone else in the world.

A lot of people assume that they could never compete with all the other people out there in the world for business relationships.

If you’re thinking like this, you’re exactly right…

Why would anyone feel a connection to you or what you’re saying if you’re just regurgitating a collection of facts and how-to lists?

You’ll never be able to create strong connections with people just by sharing facts. You’re never going to be better at sharing facts than Google. The only way to make a strong connection in today’s world is to share YOUR story.

Here are 3 ways to become a master storyteller and start creating strong connections…

1. Be transparent about your flaws.

No one wants to hear about how much of a rock star you are. No one cares. They want the authentic dirt.

They want to hear about the real challenges you’ve been through and how you’ve overcome them.

Everyone has experienced negative circumstances, negative people, and negative emotions.

But how did YOU deal with these things? This is the story you need to tell. This is the story that will connect you to other people.

Most of the negative things that you believe about yourself, or that you believe are holding you back, are not true.

You, just like everyone else, replay your losses over and over in your head, reinforcing them into a belief that you’re not good enough.

You believe you’re unworthy, or that you don’t deserve success.

You’ve become indulgent in your excuses, tossing them around like valid reasons for why you aren’t living the life you want.

This is normal. What’s abnormal is being willing to talk about it.

What’s unusual is being willing to open up about your doubts and flaws and use them as teaching points to help others.

The reason sharing your story with others can be transformational is because it allows you to rewrite those old stories and patterns of belief in yourself.

It also helps other people rewrite their old stories and patterns of belief too.

Storytelling helps both you and your listeners regain control. It also helps stimulate your imagination and other people’s imaginations for what’s possible in the future.

By stepping into the role of a flawed hero, you help yourself and others get passed their flaws. You help yourself and others re-frame negative experiences and limiting beliefs.

Don’t know where to start? Start by asking yourself these re-framing questions…

• What if you weren’t lazy and unmotivated? What if you just needed to find something you’re passionate about?
• What if you weren’t a failure that didn’t deserve happiness? How would you behave, how would you stand, if you were the person that you always wanted to be?
• Where have you been successful in your life in the past? When have you been proud of yourself? When have you had glimmers of excitement and purpose in your life that made you feel good about yourself?
• We all have those experiences — we just have to intentionally direct our attention to those places and then build on those.
• How can you be the hero of your own life? What would that look like if you were to write it like a movie script?
• How could you achieve victory if you were writing a story that could change how you feel, what you do, and where you’re going?

Use the above prompts to start creating authentic stories that support what you want and where you want to go in your life.

Then, start sharing these stories with other people.

2. Share the lessons you’ve learned.

The key to becoming a master storyteller is grabbing other people’s attention.

This isn’t done with data and facts. Data is important, but it doesn’t tell people why they should care. It doesn’t motivate or change behavior.

Your facts will only communicate what is or what has been — people are moved by hope and the possibility of what could be. You need more than data to capture and maintain other people’s interest. You need a personal story.

Start every conversation, presentation, or pitch with an engaging story that creates personal resonance.

I don’t mean pouring out overly private details of your life. I mean using discretion to tell personal stories that will motivate people to change.

Sharing personal stories is not about you — it’s about the people you want to help.

This means no gossip, no blaming others, and no ‘look at me’ crybaby rants. It also means no approval-seeking. Instead, the goal of each story you tell is to provide value to the listener.

Remember, people hate pompous know-it-alls that seem to have an easy life with no journey to get there.

They want a tale — one that includes some personal struggle, some interesting details, appropriate humor or irony, and a win.

Grabbing their interest by creating tension and taking them through a story of personal experience will have them engaged and paying attention.

They’ll feel connected to you — like they know you. Over time, this will build into trust… and loyalty.

Tell your audience, whoever they are, why they should care about what you’re saying and then tell them how what you’re saying will help them solve their own problems.

3. End your story with a solid call-to-action.

Master storytellers don’t just blab about things that happened to them.

Instead, they tell stories that have a point. They tell stories with actionable takeaways.

You had a challenging time and came out the other end okay — big deal. What’s the point? How is this going to help the person listening to you?

Look — everyone has a bottom line. Everyone is thinking, “So what? What’s in it for me?” Even if no one wants to admit it. So address it.

What problem are you solving for the person listening to your story? What value are you adding to their lives right now — THIS SECOND?

If you’re not adding value, or solving a problem, or helping relieve pain, or providing enjoyment immediately, you will absolutely be seen as a waste of time. You’ll be seen as nothing more than a gossip.

Start using your time in front of others for positive results. Start sharing meaningful stories of triumph that have solution-focused takeaways.

Do your work and be a legitimate expert that can solve pain points in people’s lives for the area that you focus on.

Be consistent in your messaging while giving people both immediate relief from their minor problems and long-term relief from their major problems.

No matter who you are or what you do for a living, there are a lot of other people who work in your field, but there’s only one YOU.

There’s only one person who’s ever gone through YOUR life story, so start telling your story in a way that captures people’s attentions and improves their lives for the better.

This will attract the right kind of people into your personal and professional life while turning you into a thought leader that other people trust and respect.

Storytelling makes you interesting and relatable. It captivates people’s wandering attention and creates whole-brain engagement, building a sense of connection and trust. It makes you and your business memorable. Being the hero of your own story has powerful personal transformation potential and then translates into a shareable experience that builds community and a network of like-minded people. Be discerning and selective, but transparent and solution-focused. Be the expert of your life, and provide value and results to those around you. In a busy world full of a lot of useless chatter, use storytelling as a way to set yourself apart.

What are your Master Storyteller techniques? Tell me in a comment below.

I also write for Fast Company and Entrepreneur Magazine:

• The Skills You Need To Grow Your Business
• 10 People Who Will Destroy Your Business
• 5 Benefits Of Being A Misfit Entrepreneur

Check out my book of personal and professional advice, Black Hole Focus: How Intelligent People Create A Powerful Purpose For Their Lives.