Show Notes: KimOrlesky.com/5 “Once you've got (people’s attention), you want to engage them right away.” - Diane Currie Sam (click to tweet)

Everybody loves a good story! They’re exciting and relatable and teach us about what it means to be human. So why aren’t you telling your customers more stories?

I’m sitting down with Diane Currie Sam, communications strategist and CEO of Be A Better Story to talk about the importance of narratives to your marketing plan.

Diane’s explaining why people love stories so much, and what makes a story part of an effective pitch. She’s also giving tips on how and where to incorporate stories into your communications, and what kinds of stories to tell. We’re getting into the dos and don’ts of reaching your customers through narrative.

Diane is such an expert in her field, and has spent years studying and teaching on how to communicate through stories. You won’t want to miss what she has to say.

       

“People want to know who you are. They want to have a story, they want to get it, they want to add meaning to it.” - Diane Currie Sam (click to tweet)

• Stories are the currency of higher emotion, how we let people know who we really are, what kind of company you are.
• Start out your emails and blog posts with a funny little story to engage the reader, and afterwards get to the educational or informational data you want to get across.
• When pitching to investors, don’t just tell the story of the money, tell the story of the company itself. Why this idea, these people, right now?
• Keep it short and sweet. People don’t read long texts like they used to. Think about what the core of your story is, and simplify it down to that.
• Make sure your stories have a point that’s relevant to what you’re trying to get across to your customers.
• Test you stories like any other marketing piece. How did people react? Are you getting the response you want?
• Tailor your story and how you tell it to your audience members, size, and location. Think about who your recipients are and what would appeal to them.
• Practice your story and pitch in front of a real person, not just in your head. Get used to telling it and know how you want it to sound.
• Stories add actual value to what you’re selling. People are more likely to buy something they feel psychologically and emotionally connected to.

Elements of a Good Story

1.      Hook the audience’s attention
2.     Rise of energy/ building action
3.     A climax with a conclusion that leads into the point/pitch you want to make.

Links

Steve Job’s Commencement Speech at Stanford:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHWUCX6osgM

Beabetterstory.com

beabetterstory.com/meetwithdiane

Show Notes: KimOrlesky.com/5