Developing a Story

Because storytelling resonated deeply with the audience at the Brand Building Conference I thought I share some ideas about developing a story from Beyond the Brand. Enjoy!

        We are in the twilight of a society based on data. In the coming years, brands and companies will not thrive on the basis of their data, but on the strength and meaning of their stories, creating products and services that evoke emotion. Products will become less important than the stories they convey and the way those stories are interpreted. It is a return of the ancient form of narrative. Companies need to have stories to tell – stories that inspire action. And companies must themselves embody those stories with congruency and authenticity.

When developing your story, there are some essential qualities your narrative must have:

Context – The story must be in the context of the audience’s experience. You want the audience to think about their own experiences and stories and be able to see themselves in the story.

Simplicity –Many messages are too complex. Focus on the power of simplicity.

Interest –A story has to be interesting enough for the audience to register it, remember it, and tell it again.

Trust –The best stories are true to the audience’s experience. True stories evoke in an audience an attitude of “I get it.”

Meaning – A story must get across a strong message that inspires the audience to rethink something.

Connectedness – A story must connect the right audience with the inspiration you are trying to convey.

Magic – A great story violates the listener’s expectations. There is a surprising gift.

Relevance – A story must embody the inspiration in such a way that the audience will intuitively know what to do with it.

Immediacy – A story helps people to take the leap of faith necessary to take action.

           Remember, the goal of a bottom-up strategy is to catalyze organizational change around the center of gravity in the marketplace. Stories play an important role in making this happen.