The document discusses how storytelling has been a fundamental part of human communication throughout history, as evidenced by cave paintings over 20,000 years old. It notes that stories are more memorable and help listeners adopt the storyteller's perspective. The document advocates for authentic storytelling rooted in a company's own experiences and history to build engagement, persuade audiences, and inspire memorable messaging. It provides five steps for creating and telling an authentic story, including finding authentic content, creating engagement, aligning with the audience, inspiring the story, and ensuring it has impact.

1. Authentic Storytelling
Brings Your Messages to Life

2. Throughout history, storytelling has been a
fundamental part of human communication.

3. The earliest evidence of storytelling
predates recorded history.

4. Cave paintings in the Lascaux Caves in France,
approximately 20,000 years old, depict various
rituals and hunting practices.

5. A story was being told.

6. Aesop’s fables were stories from the late to
mid-6th century BCE, passed along orally
to both entertain and teach.

7. It’s a fact: Good stories make you laugh…

8. or cry…

9. or think…

10. or buy…

11. • We become part of the story
• We experience the story versus just consume it
• And we relay the story to others
Good stories create an
emotional connection

12. We normally associate stories
with books or movies.
(We don’t normally associate stories
with companies, brands or executives.)

13. Yet storytelling is one of the most
powerful persuasion tools available

14. We are 22 times more likely to
remember a fact when it has been
wrapped in a story.¹
1 Work by cognitive psychologist Prof. Jerome Bruner
DID YOU KNOW?

15. Research from The Ohio State University
shows that when we’re immersed in a
story, we embrace the beliefs and
worldviews the story presents.2
2 Melanie Green and Timothy Brock, “The Role of Transportation in the Persuasiveness of Public Narratives”

16. More executives than ever are trying to
get the story behind facts or figures.
In essence…

17. What story does the data tell us?

18. Storytelling is more memorable,
and helps listeners adopt the
perspective of the storyteller.
It makes the complex approachable
and enables decision-making.

19. But aren’t some stories just stories?

20. How can storytelling be a serious
business tool if “telling a story” means
either lying or exaggerating the truth
to many people?

21. That’s why you need
authentic storytelling

22. (Content that is based on the company’s experience
and history, made relevant for today and tomorrow.)
Authentic storytelling is rooted in the
authentic content that every company has.

23. But how does authentic storytelling
help different functions or
departments in an organization?
Let’s start with marketing…

24. • Higher brand awareness and customer engagement
• Better content to customers and stakeholders
• Improved metrics (e.g. customer acquisition and
retention rates)
• Greater appreciation of the value of marketing internally
Authentic storytelling
helps marketing deliver…

25. It can help sales too…
• Build relationships
• Create faster trust with customers and prospects
• Stand out from competing salespeople
• Accelerate the sales cycle
• Increase close rates

26. In fact, every executive or leader
can benefit from more effective storytelling:
• Increase success in delivering information so it’s
memorable and motivating to a wide variety of
audiences
• Persuade more effectively
• Higher memorability of your messages

27. So how does someone create
and tell an authentic story?

28. There are five steps.

29. 1. Find and develop authentic Content
• Look inside your company and its history
• Find golden nuggets that authenticate
your messages for today and tomorrow
• Build authentic content repositories that
can be used and their content
repurposed
Photo credit: Tony Oliver

30. 2. Create engagement
• Create interest and intrigue
• Sometimes use conflict to draw
in the audience
• On occasion, shock your audience…
or at least give them an “aha” moment
• Build listener’s trust early through
something personal, humorous
or insightful (hopefully like this
slideshow!)

31. 3. Align with your audience
• Know who you’re talking to and
what style of story makes sense
• Purposely plan how you want your
listeners to feel, think and act
differently after they’ve heard
your story
• Ensure the story can deliver on this
plan, adjust if needed

32. 4. Inspire
• Use proven models, methodologies
or processes to take your authentic
content and create concise,
memorable stories
• If delivering the story in person,
• Practice
• Practice
• Practice
• And practice some more!

33. 5. Impact
• Create a plan to actively
incorporate authentic
storytelling into your everyday
communications
• Have a reserve of “ready to go
stories” to deal with common
situations
• And refresh that reserve frequently,
so you avoid repetition or story
fatigue

34. • Authentic content research
and development programs
• Custom training on
authentic storytelling for
marketing, sales, and
executive management.
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35. Because who doesn’t love a good story…
especially when it’s authentic?