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The latest must-have business skill is the skill of storytelling. This of course leaves many business owners wondering what in the world storytelling has to do with improve business outcomes. But, business storytelling can have a huge impact on your marketing campaigns and your overall brand recognition. This is particularly true if you make a lot of presentations in order to get the word out about your business. However, you know how to do it right in order to experience the real benefits of the practice. Here are some of the most effective business storytelling techniques that you an use to promote your business.
The 5 C’s
Business storytelling is no different than traditional storytelling. You absolutely must include the 5 C’s of storytelling. These include circumstance, curiosity, characters, conversation and conflict. Make sure that the story of your startup informs audiences of your starting circumstances and backstory. It should also include and element of mystery that intrigues the audience and makes them curious. Include the important characters besides yourself in your story, and make sure to reference specific conversation excerpts. Then, most importantly, be sure your story has some distinct conflict that you overcome by the end. Otherwise, your audience may lose interest in the tale of your startup.
Inspire Your Audience
Be inspirational. This is sort of a prerequisite when using business storytelling for promotion. Adding an inspirational aspect to your tale will engage audiences.Otherwise, the story about learning to start a cleaning business is not all that interesting. It will also play on their emotions, which will help make your business more memorable. Obviously, that will definitely help with your brand recognition within the industry. Make sure to offer inspiration or words of wisdom to your audience. It will make them form an emotional connection to your story, and thus, to your organization in general.
Use Analogies
Analogies are an incredibly powerful storytelling tool. Make sure you use them when telling the story of your start in business. Analogies and metaphors help your audience better grasp the idea you are trying to convey. It presents the content in a way that everyone can relate to and understand. It can be even more effective if you use a lot of descriptive language that touches on all five senses. This will make your story as powerful as it possibly can be.
Be Yourself
Authenticity is one of the most important parts of business storytelling that too many presenters forget the importance of. Be yourself. This will make it easier for your audience to relate to you. It will also make you much more likeable. If your audience likes you as a person, they are more likely to emotionally invest in your story. That will help them remember your story and your business for years to come. Do not enlist the services of a think tank to help you devise the most likeable story and personality to deliver it. Make sure you are your authentic, genuine self every single time you tell the story of your business.
Keep Things In Order
Keep your story in chronological order. Do not jump around from the beginning to the end, then back to the middle. This will confuse your audience. It makes your story nearly impossible to follow. When it comes to stories in novels, readers experience them at their own pace. This is not true of verbal storytelling. Audiences must experience it at your pace, and your pace only. So make sure your story is as easy to follow as possible. This way, your audience buys into your business story telling journey from beginning to end.
If you are a business owner, business storytelling tactics can help you take your business to the next level. They allow you the perfect opportunity to get word out about your business in a way that is enjoyable for all involved parties. However, you want to be sure to use the most effective business storytelling techniques that engage your audience and play on their emotions from beginning to end, just like Jenny Craig ads do. Otherwise, the effects of your story will not last any longer than the couple minutes it takes you to tell the tale. Make sure this does not happen to you by utilizing the storytelling strategies for business mentioned above. Your audience will be glad you did.
Photo from https://www.intelligenthq.com/resources/little-guide-to-social-business-storytelling/
