Business Storytelling: The Story in Your Mind

Another tidbit of wisdom Kody Bateman, founder of SendOutCards.com, shared with us Saturday at a Treat 'em Right Seminar was the "story in your is the story of your life." He returned to that theme numerous times throughout the day each time emphasizing that what you think about and dream about becomes a reality.

If you see your business struggling or losing money that is the story you tell yourself and sooner or later the story in your mind becomes your reality. If you play the story of a successful business in your mind well, eventually that will be the story of your life.

Keep the stories you tell yourself positive and future focused and watch your business live up to those stories.

Business Storytelling: A Story Behind Everything

This past Saturday I attended a Treat 'em Right Seminar. Kody Bateman the founder of SendOutCards.com spoke at length and almost always in story format. He told some wonderfully touching stories with humor and emotion. Every time he started to tell us about a new feature or why things developed the way they did for the company he said let me tell you the story behind it because there is "a story behind everything you do."

Those are important words to remember. If you can tell the story it helps define what your business really stands for. Stay true to the story of your business and your business will flourish. If you forget the story of why you started the business and what the early days were like you may forget why the business was important to you and lose drive. Never a good thing for a business owner.

Telling Stories Leads to Business

More than once I have found that when I tell someone a story about something I have done recently with a client it generates interest and I end up picking up another client.

It happened again this morning. I was talking with a colleague about some work I had recently done with a client, in essence telling a story. The proverbially light bulb went off over her head and she realized that I could help her in the same way. Now I've known this colleague for awhile but she had never been exposed to that piece of my business. If I had not been telling the story of how I got my client, what I had done for her and how she is now better off for my help I don't think my colleague would have ever thought of hiring me.

We tell stories all the time, formally and informally. You never know when one of these narratives will spark just the right thought and ultimately benefit you. Keep telling interesting stories.

Storytelling and Jeopardy?

What a nice surprise this evening as I watched Jeopardy. One of the categories was "Storytellers". You know I watched to see what the answers would be. No surprise, all the answers dealt with authors. It spanned from the classics to pop type authors.

Stories come in all forms, written, oral, short, epic. I was glad to see storytellers as a category be recognized on Jeopardy. Take a moment today and recognize the storytellers in your life.

Social Media and stories

This weekend I was reading a newspaper article on the importance of the social media sites to business marketing. The University of Connecticut is making use of blogs, twitter, Facebook and others to keep students and faculty informed. Karen Grava, a UCONN spokesperson says "We need to tell our story more than ever before because other people are not telling it for us as much."

It is all about the story! Are you using stories on your web, blogs, Facebook and Twitter? If you are not telling your story no one else is either. It's a challenge to make a 140 character story but it's worth it, micro stories are powerful.

Lawyers use stories

The following article was sent to me and I found it fascinating, lawyers admitting to telling stories to win. Actually the article is very good and focuses on the importance of telling stories from different perspectives. That's a great way to see holes in your arguments as well as learning to walk in someone elses shoes for awhile.

Here is the link. http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/07/little-red-riding-hood-was-no-victim-the-wolf-was-framed.html

More Blogs on Stories in Business

A colleague of mine just sent this link to a discussion on storytelling in business. Interesting article, short, with some good follow up comments. Stories in business are indeed growing. Tell, connect, sell.

http://blogs.bnet.com/mba/?p=923&tag=homeCar

Tell Your Own Story

This past weekend I spent some time with family. My brother-in-law's brother-in-law cornered me. He said, "You're a storyteller, I have a funny story that I bet you will like. If you like it you probably can use it somehow and improve it and tell it even better than I can."

I hear this all the time and then I hear a funny, touching, interesting story. This weekend was no different. The story was quite humorous, told fairly well. Some of it was funny because I know the person and know how out of his comfort zone he was in the story. Some of it was just plain funny no matter who it would have happened to.

I'm sure I can tell the story and get a laugh or two but it definitely will not be the same because it is not my story. You are the best teller of your stories. Others might be able to retell the story but unless they study the story a lot they will miss the emotional connection that you have and that makes it that much more interesting coming from you. Don't give away your story, tell it yourself proudly.

The List

I was doing a bit of spring cleaning today and came across a handout I received at a Toastmasters meeting. The excerpt comes from Robert Fulghum's "What on Earth Have I Done". On page 65 he starts a list he calls Conversation Lifeboats. Basically it is a list of opening lines for when you are thrown in with strangers and don't know how to break the ice. A great list for wary networkers.

What I particularly liked was at the end he says "Everybody has a story to tell and a willingness to tell it if asked. Everybody knows things you don't know, but wish you did." Remember this, people are willing to talk but you have to ask and then show a willingness to listen. This goes for those tight lipped teenagers and seniors who seem to sit quietly by. Ask and you shall receive. In this case you may receive some wonderful information, fun and connections to others.