Articles on Success, Significance and the Evolving Role of Work

I would love to have you join me on Monday, November 24th at Noon (Eastern Time) for a free half-hour webcast. Click here to register.

It will all start with a milkshake…

A fast food chain wanted to sell more milkshakes. After bringing in an experienced market research group and aligning its advertising with their findings, nothing happened. Milkshake sales remained flat.

However, things changed when a new researcher entered the picture and asked a radically different question. A question that will help you align every tactic with your marketing strategy.

Beginning with this story, you will enter a rabbit hole designed to change the way you plan, design and distribute stories, with a specific focus on webinars and videos.

Crafting stories that others will not only remember, but share, begins with a basic understanding of how stories work. How they differ from information. And ways to use and time stories during webinars and videos.

You will learn:

• The ingredients & design of an effective story
• How narratives and stories are not the same thing (and why you need both)
• The one question you should ask before choosing which story to tell
• Your role in storytelling
• Storytelling tips for webinars
• Storytelling tips for videos

Click here to register now. 

A very special thanks to Kaitlin Stich and BrightTALK for inviting me to do this webcast. Hope to have you there!

Twenty-five years ago, on November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell.

The Wall is a narrative, a metaphor and a symbol. At least, for a few generations of humanity.

A question I’m consistently asked is this: “How can I find a good story to tell?”

Watch this one-minute video from Airbnb called, “Wall and Chain: A Story of Breaking Down Walls“…

Next, read Ann Handley’s Q&A with the man who led the team that created this incredible story.

Key takeaway from the interview: In business, you’ll often find that your best stories are your customers’ stories.

And you’re either choosing to listen to them, collect them and share them.

Or not.

It’s your choice.

(Ann has some applicable takeaways for your business. Do take the time to read.)

Have you ever watched an episode of The Blacklist?

Raymond Reddington (“Red”), the main character played by James Spader, is a terrific storyteller.

You know he’s about the kill someone the moment he begins one of his elaborate stories.

I’m on the fence as to whether I still like this show or not — the writing is starting to feel gimmicky and a bit desperate. But I look forward to Red’s stories in each episode.

Storytelling Tip:

Watch two or three episodes of The Blacklist. And study Red’s storytelling.

Then, when you hear yourself starting to convince or persuade someone to do something, stop.

Ask yourself: “What would Red do?”

In almost every case, when he most wants to make a point, Red would tell a story.

You should too.