Tweet

5 Lessons from a Master Storyteller

Guest post by: Rebel Brown

Article Overview: We can all learn to bring our message to life with fabulous stories. We can all learn to be better storytellers - focusing on our customers and prospects, and not our own chest thumping selves. That's where true marketing begins!

5 Lessons from a Master Storyteller

Last weekend I was lucky enough to participate in a coaching workshop with Madame Patricia Fripp - the grande dame of professional speaking. We were working on my keynote for Defy Gravity. I learned some major eye-opening lessons about speaking, thanks to Patricia and her workshop partner, Darren LaCroix. But that's not what I'm writing about today. I'm writing about another lesson that Patricia taught me - a lot and I already knew to some degree, but I don't think I fully appreciated before this workshop.

I've been a storyteller for my clients for over 20 years now. Stories are critical - for every strategy, positioning, and go to market launch I've powered in my consulting business. Stories bring home the messages we want to communicate in the most real and visceral way possible.

I get on my soapbox with all my clients when it comes to messaging and positioning. "It's not about Me, Me , Me Marketing - it's about your customers' stories - how your product added value to their business and their lives." Sometimes that's a difficult sell - especially in markets where chest thumping about some cool innovation is the status quo approach to marketing.

Patricia took my love of stories to a whole new level last week. Some nuggets she reinforced or expanded for me include:

* Real life is much more entertaining and convincing than abstract facts - you may think the true story is boring - but your audience will appreciate the realness.

* Audiences remember what they "see" as you are sharing your story - so paint your picture carefully and thoroughly.

* Specificity builds credibility - don't just throw in generic words like " stuff" and " things". The specifics add color and power.

* Shorter is better. (This is one I need to work on a lot!) Whittle everything down to the smallest sentences and phrases possible. That makes it easier for people to learn

* A picture is worth 1000 words. I've always known this one - people are visual. But it's not just about a graphic. We can paint that picture with the words in our story - when we pay attention.

We can all learn to bring our message to life with fabulous stories. We can all learn to be better storytellers - focusing on our customers and prospects, and not our own chest thumping selves.

That's where true marketing begins!

Related Articles
  It Takes Teamwork to Make a Company Dream Work
  I Hate MBAs/Redux
  The Art of Storytelling
  Bring the Four Swordsmen of Client Service With You
  Be Impressed, Grasshopper, Not Impressive
  Master Franchises Explained
  Learn from Golf... Create More Revenue
  Aire Master is Sweeping the Franchise Industry
  The Secret of Success
  Important "Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Mastering Time Management
  Support, Developing Synergy
  Three Ways of Giving Photoshop Lessons
  Lessons to Learn From the First Dot Com Boom
  Master Franchisee vs. Franchisee?
  Authority & Authenticity- Do You Extract or Elicit?
  Beginner's Mind
  Ten More Important “Lessons Learned” For Leaders, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Great Storytellers, Great Leaders
  How to Get Things Done with a Master Task List

Article Tags: defy gravity, marketing, master storyteller, messages, positioning, prospects, story telling, storytellers



Related Forum Posts
MLM Master Distributor Needed - Hi, We are launching a brand new MLM company this month and we need to bring on a Master Distributor to launch the company. If you have built a large downline, we want to talk with you asap. This position will be at the forefront of the company, and we are considering giving this position overrides on all company sales. Note, this is a one-time offer to interview with us as our initial Master Distributor positions will no longer be available. If you believe you are capable of helping please contact me here: skipsanzeri@yahoo.com Please send along any detail about downlines you’ve built including size etc. Thanks Skip
Importing from Russia - Hi Master - should you not have some idea of what you want to import? This would make the search easier to find someone.
300 rules! - 300 was my favorite movie of 2007 and Kevin you did a great job in highlighting the Business Lessons from the Movie.
Re: Importing from Russia - [quote="saraloves":ywo3c5fo]Hi Master - should you not have some idea of what you want to import? This would make the search easier to find someone.[/quote:ywo3c5fo] True! It is a little vague so far...
Napoleon on Project Management - Why do I include this in a list of books aimed at female entrepreneurs? Well...in the expectation that there are as many female history buffs as male ones, and in the belief that anyone interested in history will find this book fascinating, while those interested in project management will learn a thing or two. I think this was the first "gimmick" book - an author using a historical figure (usually a male, military figure, it must be admitted) to talk about modern day business management. I refuse to read any of the kind that advocates - even obliquely - the techniques of the Sopranos or the Mossad - but these military ones are pretty fun. Anyway: Only in the understanding of history, Napoleon might say, do we gain an understanding of strategy in the present. In the same spirit, Napoleon on Project Management offers the recipe for successfully managing your commitments using the strategies, tactics and priorities that propelled Napoleon himself to victory. [The book doesn't gloss over how Napolean eventually fell in defeat, of course, and there's lessons to be learned there as well. TOC Foreword by Douglas James Allan (Napoleanic Society of America) 1. The Rise to Power -The Skills to Succeed -A Compelling Vision -Diplomacy and Networking -Lessons from the Great Campaigns 2. Napoleon's 6 Winning Principles -Introduction -Exactitude -Speed -Flexibility -Simplicity -Character -Moral Force 3. The Downfall -What Went Wrong -Lessons from the Russian Invasion and Waterloo -The Four Critical Warning Signs -Napoleon's Legacy


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

The State of the Sustainable Furniture Industry

Link Pyramids

Life is a Balancing Act!

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.