society for technical communications november 1, 2012
TRANSCRIPT
Success Story: Yours!
Set yourself apart with stories and achieve greater success.
Lynda McDanielAssociation for Creative Business Writing
The Book Catalysts
Success Story: Yours!
Set yourself apart with stories and achieve greater success.
Lynda McDanielAssociation for Creative Business Writing
The Book Catalysts
“People don’t want more information. They are up to their eyeballs in information. They want faith—faith in you, your goals, your success, in the story you tell.”
- Annette Simmons, The Story Factor
Success Story—Yours!
“[A story] takes people out of their critical left brain and switches them into their emotionally engaged right brain. They are no longer on the outside judging your idea; they are inside experiencing it. That’s the essence of buy-in.”
- Sam Horn, POP, (Pg. 174.)
Success Story—Yours!
Stories to the rescue
Power Words
Stories activate your brain in ways far
more creative than lectures.
Stories to the rescue!
Stickier messages
Set you apart
Trigger emotions
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
1. Turn to a partner.2. Tell about your name, e.g., - How you got it. - What you like about it. - What you hate about it.
Training
Blogs
White Papers
Speeches
Presentations
Articles
Newsletters
Meetings
Books
Proposals
Coaching
Reports Elevator Speech
Telling
Jackson Real Estate Firm recently unveiled a new thirty-story office project for XYZ Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio. Clients and visitors to the grand opening were enthusiastic about this addition to the skyline.
Success Story—Yours!
Showing (with a story)!
At Jackson Real Estate Firm, we’ve earned a lot of pats on the back over the years. Recently we unveiled a new thirty-story office project in Cleveland. At the grand opening, we were shaking hands with everyone from the tenants to visitors at the building’s café. A few were even, as one tenant from Texas put it, “hugging our necks.” Our clients later told us…
Success Story—Yours!
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
Know your Know your audienceaudience
Write Write toto them, them, not not atat them them
Answer WIIFMAnswer WIIFM
Offer solutionsOffer solutions
Story, not bullets
We need to:
Work closely with your staff Show more empathy Encourage their participation Get results
Success Story—Yours!
Six steps to successful stories
1. Hook
2. Scene
3. Complications
4. Development
5. Resolution
6. Conclusions/action
Success Story—Yours!
Let’s write!
1. Think of a story:- Memorable action by a boss (good or bad)- Kindness of strangers- Amazing serendipity- Family history
2. Write the hook and set the scene.
Success Story—Yours!
Complications
1. Inner conflict
2. Interpersonal conflict
3. External/universal conflict
Success Story—Yours!
Development
1. Simple and clear
2. Brief
3. Concrete
4. Fresh, yet credible
5. Relevant
Success Story—Yours!
Offer conclusions/action
1. Make the conclusion the logical next step.
2. Inform and inspire.
3. Incite action.
4. Put message to work.
Success Story—Yours!
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
Tap into storytellers’ creative toolkit
1. Foreshadowing
2. Alliteration
3. Vivid Verbs
4. Senses
5. Rhythm & rhyme
Success Story—Yours!
Foreshadowing
1. When we started our reorganization process, we had no idea it would play out the way it did. We followed four key steps and got a lot more than we bargained for.
2. We didn’t know at the time what effect our actions would have on the company’s bottom line. I’ll go over each step so this won’t happen to you.
Success Story—Yours!
Tell stories in stagesEncourage readers to keep reading
Tie it all together at the end.
Thread story throughout
Alliteration
Lyrical repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables
- wild and woolly
- threatening throngs
- Better Business Bureau
- Words that make you wealthy.
- Grammar Girl
Success Story—Yours!
Vivid verbs
Sometimes, "to be" verbs get the job done right. But too many “is,” “are,” = an audience that'sz-z-z-z.
(To be) She is very generous.
(Vivid) She shares with everyone.
(To be) The group is getting rowdy.
(Vivid) The group clamored for attention.
Success Story—Yours!
SensesPut yourself in the situation and imagine it fully—the feelings, smells, tastes, sounds, and sights.
- The water gently lapped against the boat, but to me, it sounded like a storm about to take me under.
- The cafeteria reeked of school lunches.
- The staff welcomed his laughter, loud and deep.
Success Story—Yours!
Rhythm & rhyme Rhyming phrases = easier to remember. As we read, we hear words, so rhythm is
important. Rhyming adds to flow.
- From boring to soaring.
- Have fun, even when you’re under the gun to get the job done.
- Living rough is tough.
Stuck for a rhyme? Go to www.rhymezone.com
Success Story—Yours!
Let’s write!
Add some creative techniques to that
story you were working on:
1. Foreshadowing
2. Alliteration
3. Vivid Verbs
4. Senses
5. Rhythm & rhyme
Success Story – Yours!
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
Bright ideas: Observe & interviewBright ideas: Observe & interview
Take out the ear budsTake out the ear buds
Pay attentionPay attention
Start eavesdroppingStart eavesdropping
Interview bosses, Interview bosses, colleagues, clients colleagues, clients
Story Inventory
- Snorkeling in Key West- Waitress @ Waffle House- Boeing contract - Dreadful first drafts - Janitor brainstorming- Dressing Junior
A dozen more story ideas
1. Myths 2. Fables
2. Parables 4. Historical stories
5. Colleagues’ stories 6. Current events
7. Books 8. Movies
9. Fictional clients 10. Scenarios
11. What ifs 12. Case stories
Success Story—Yours!
Let’s write!
Jot down as many of your favorite
stories as you can in the next couple of minutes.
Success Story—Yours!
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
Storyteller’s Toolkit
Integrate storiesSix structural stages
Creative techniques Story inventory
Build your confidence
Thanks!
Let me know if questions come up for you:
Lynda McDaniel
and
Success Story—Yours!