Storytelling, What is it and Why Does it Matter?

For centuries, stories and tales have had the power to bring people together. From the ancient times where humans first enjoyed telling each other about their daily experiences to the social media entries of the digital age, stories and tales have managed to reflect on us, making us wonder and think. If you look at the word in lexicon, the ability to tell stories or narratives is called storytelling. Its composition is two words: telling stories. One can use this skill in his or her personal life, as well as at work and in business. Your arguments will be more persuasive to others thanks to the techniques one can attain by storytelling.

Storytelling techniques can be used at a product presentation, advertising or at the nursery with children: a good story works wonderfully with people of all ages. In the beginning, there was nothing but words. Vital information was transferred to offsprings by verbal communication and that is why good storytelling takes the listener back to history. If people believe and remember the story told to them, that’s where the art of storytelling lies. That is why myths and legends are the best examples of storytelling and that is also why storytelling is the essence of the most important social establishments in human civilization. 

Religion is storytelling, law is storytelling, literature is storytelling and last but not least, history is storytelling. One can wonder why we need storytelling today. The sole purpose of storytelling today is to make the story more engaging. It was not different a thousand years ago because if the story is engaging and memorable, the impact is real. The feeling is real. Naturally both our objectives and our way of telling stories have changed. A hundred years ago, we read books and newspapers and went to the theatre to share stories. Now we have more methods and tools. 

Today there are a variety of technological tools which makes it possible for our stories to be told differently. There are tasks we can solve with the assistance of storytelling and they are more diverse than ever. This explains why the method of storytelling is becoming more and more extensive. Storytelling is used in business life in various aspects and proven to help get the message across. It’s quite important to be a good storyteller in today’s extremely competitive business world. We’re subject to constant flow of information which has been shortening our attention span and to make your mark, you need to be a good storyteller.

Storytelling is a trendy concept, especially in marketing, in today’s business world. It is a way of reaching the target audience, customers and a way of connecting with them. With the help of storytelling and its techniques of conveying a message, you can create emotional contact points which again would serve the purpose of reaching out to your customers. Telling a story is often understood as talking about fiction but in fact it means telling factual things in a way that would connect with the customers’ own experiences and lives. It’s a way of stimulating the customers emotionally so that they can form a relationship with what is being told to them.

Storytelling Types

Types of storytelling depend on how and on what purpose a story is told. Are you trying to get a point across, are you trying to sell a product or are you trying to change someone’s mind? Storytelling skills are used for different purposes in business. You can use these skills to develop relationships with business partners and to present a new product effectively. Storytelling skills can help with product sales. Remember, a commercial is effective if it tells a good story.

Business stories are created in different formats which include visual storytelling and digital  storytelling. When you use visual elements like images, drawings or sketches to tell a story, this is called visual storytelling. If you use digital components in your story, that is digital storytelling. 

You can identify the kind of story depending on what kind of software is used to create it. Digital storytelling can be interactive as it provides several options for the development of events, based on the choices made by the listeners or viewers.

Product marketers use storytelling as a tool to communicate a message to their audience because it is a process which combines facts with a narrative. It can act as a powerful tool because storytelling is an emotional bridge based on facts between a company and its customers. Also, storytelling is a way to connect the brand with its products and its customers, hence the positive effect of brand storytelling. Average customer sees hundreds (if not thousands) of advertisements on a daily basis. What drives the customer to make a choice towards purchasing a product is directly related to how he or she feels about it.

Brand storytelling addresses this part of the process. The idea is to touch the emotions of the customer because if the product means something to them, they are more willing to make the purchase. Storytelling marketing is about making your audience feel something, and then maybe that emotion will drive them to action.

Storytelling marketing or brand storytelling do not have to be limited with written word. Conceptualised commercials, art work and even music can be a storytelling element added to your brand and audiences will want to know more about you and your company. 

Using Storytelling to Make an Impact on Others

People tend to stick to their opinions and thoughts which makes it hard for them to change their habits. Statistical facts and factual information on its own are not enough to persuade people about certain things. What we call ‘logical’ sometimes faces resistance in people’s minds. Stories create a vibe where there is warmth and thus sincerity. Our emotional receptors are touched when a tale is being told and this also can stimulate our other sensors which we use when making a decision. There are storytellers working with big brands today, who try to strengthen the connection between the brand and the customers.

It’s possible to make use of stories and their strong impact when telling about your personal and professional experiences. So it is important to know about storytelling techniques to be a good storyteller. Probably, one of the most effective points in stories is being resistant to all sorts of hardship. This resistance comes from self improvement and the ability to change. For stories to stay in mind, they need to have enough level of conflict. So, when we translate this into the world of marketing, the customer who is the heroine of your story should overcome the difficulties with the help of your product and change with the guidance of your brand. One thing that never changes in stories is change itself.

Your Work Can Become Fascinating with Storytelling

Graphics, statistics, informative data and long sentences of information will definitely make your audience feel bored and lose interest in what you are saying. Big, important meetings for long hours and presentations and events that last forever don’t have to be the way they are. Use storytelling as a tool to make your presentation interesting rather than a pile of numbers and words repeated over.

Your audience will find it easier to stay connected to your presentation if you use storytelling techniques. Why not include personal experiences and inspirational anecdotes to make your presentation alive and fun. Allow your customers to be the heroine of the story which is a source of guidance and mentorship for them which is basically your firm or your brand. That way, your message will get through.

Let the customers write the story and lead them. Especially in today’s marketing world, this seems to be the way to keep the attention of your customers alive.

Storytelling is a skill that can be learnt. Explore your inner skills and strengths to make your storytelling come to the surface. There are stories around you happening every day, address them, share them with others and you’ll see your social efforts will contribute to your own storytelling skills. Speaker Agency can introduce you to powerful stories of great speakers like Maria Ramos, Judith Liberman and Dr. Behice Ece Ilhan. Check our website for inspirational names who will ignite your Storytelling flame and show you how to tell good stories.