A Story is Worth a Thousand Pictures

[‘Ting’ the Instant Messenger popped up on the computer screen “Could we meet at 11:15 in Room 233”. It was her manager, asking for an unscheduled meeting. An instinct told her, it was not a good sign. Rumors of a layoff were all over. Is this it? Her heart sank, but then she composed herself and typed back “Sure”. At 11:15 AM, she entered room 233, calm outwardly but shaking inwardly and thinking, “Is this really happening to me?”. Her manager broke the news, offering a vague explanation, but she tuned out everything. She didn’t want to hear anything. A sense of anger and helplessness overwhelmed her, and she felt she was pushed from a cliff and falling into a deep dark tunnel.]

Probably you are wondering how the protagonist will survive this crisis. Well, that story is for another day. Today, let us talk about 'storytelling'. ?

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Why do Stories Matter?

We all grew up with stories. It is hard to forget those childhood stories that touched our hearts. Did you ever wonder why? Stories touch our emotions deeply. When we hear engaging stories, we start visualizing them. We see them in our minds, like a movie. A well-crafted story captures our imaginations and lingers with us longer.

Our ancestors used stories to pass wisdom from one generation to the next. In modern times, where there is fierce competition for our attention, stories matter more than ever. It is more impactful to weave your message with the help of a story than just talking about technical, cold hard facts. ?

Stories, by their virtue, have the power to grab your audience's attention and once you have them, it is much easier to influence them and become memorable. It is not that you are trying to manipulate your audience, instead you are providing the information in an engaging way, which is more relatable to your target audience. For example, in telling how good your product is, it is better to share a use case story showing how your solution solved a real customer’s problem than describing product specifications (which do matter, but at a later stage).

Elements of Good Stories

Think about a movie that you loved. What made you feel that way? It is how the creator vividly painted a picture of a journey of overcoming a challenge. As you build your stories, for example, to promote your solution, refrain from talking too much about the product, instead be obsessed with getting in your target audience's mind, and develop empathy for them. Be in their shoes. Imagine what challenges and pain points they are facing and how your solutions will help them.

Once you have the framework, then build a relevant story to connect the dots between their pain points and your solution. Your stories don’t have to be dramatic, and good stories are empathic and simple, and of course, truthful. The last thing you want to do is to create an inaccurate story to get the desired effect.

When you lead your story without first highlighting technical details and feature sets, but the value it has created in the lives of real people, you engage the audience. A well-crafted story creates an experience, stirs curiosity, and motivates the audience to take the next steps, i.e., your desired call to action. It is ok to create an urgency so your audience can take the desired action, however, stay away from being pushy.

?Make it relatable ?

All businesses are human enterprises and people buy from people they trust. To make your stories powerful, allow them to touch human lives.

Instead of touting the 'X' micron resolution of your technology, if you show how it enabled Dr. Miller to find a breast cancer lesion at a much earlier stage that helped save the life of a mother, the impact will be deeper.

When you make the story relatable, the audience becomes invested in you. They will remember the story and its characters. Connecting emotionally with your audience will elevate your message. However, remember that authenticity is the soul of the story. You lose it, you lose your audience.

?Stories Work on All Occasions

Stories are effective in both internal and external communication. Instead of bombarding your team with data-filled PowerPoints, integrate some inspiring stories. It is easier to forget a boring PowerPoint presentation, however, people remember a story that vividly paints a vision of your organization and how it is improving the quality of life of people.?

Next time, when you have a job interview or a key presentation, consider adding some relatable stories. It will drastically improve the impact of your message.