Business Storytelling: The Customer Speaks

Best selling business author Jeffrey Gitomer included this comment in his book on customer service and on his blog "Customers don't make up stories about your business - it is you who creates them. The customer simply retells them. How the story is told, and what the content is, is up to you."

So what about your customer service is worth re-telling? Humans love the drama of a bad story and will tell it over and over. Not what you want so make sure the story you leave with your customers is just as dramatic but positive. Courteous, friendly service is expected do what is unexpected.

Your customer should be the main character in the story, make him or her feel special and solve the problem/need so that "they lived happily ever after." It is odd to look at customer service as though you are the author of a story but you are the one who can control the situation and make it memorable for the customer so take charge of the storyline and make it a good one.

Business Storytelling: Stories for Interviews

Stories are powerful tools for interviewing. They convey information while allowing the teller to be authentic and hopefully the interviewer to be engaged. Recently Michael Lynch, Marketing and Sales Process Expert, posted in a re-employment group on LinkedIn reasons to become a storyteller. With his permission they are below.

Here are the top 10 reasons to become a compelling storyteller...

1. You will be better prepared for interviews.
2. You will be able to answer the "tell me about yourself" question.
3. You are giving your network info that can open doors for you.
4. You will gain public speaking experience.
5. You will make a strong first impression.
6. You will be perceived as a source of information.
7. You can use stories in cover letters.
8. You will become more interesting.
9. You can accentuate why you are unique.
10. You will gain personal confidence.

Posted By Michael Lynch

I couldn't have said it better so I won't. If you are job seeking take Michael's tips to heart and hone your storytelling skills.

Business Storytelling: Ultimate in Micro

There is a group on LinkedIn that has challenged members to write a story in 6 words. There have been some inspiring words, most reflect the life philosophy of the author.

That got me thinking about the use of micro stories in business. Generally, micro stories would be defined as 500 words or less. In today's fast paced environment everything seems to be abbreviated, sped up. It seems like the micro story is a new invention but then I thought of the best 6 word story I have ever heard and in its native language technically it's only 3 words.

Veni, Vidi, Vici!
I came, I saw, I Conquered!

This micro story purportedly said by Julius Caesar in 47 BC says it all and follows the traditional 3 part story format. The scene setter or opening. The conflict, he saw what he wanted. And of course the resolution. Many times people think stories need to be long and involved, not so. Sometimes shorter is better and in business where distractions are common the micro story is perfect.

Not all your stories need to be only 6 words long but a couple thousand years later we are still quoting Caesar, wouldn't it be great if your corporate story is that memorable and repeatable? Imagine 2000 thousand years from now that people are still telling your story. Keep it short, just do it!

Business Storytelling: The Importance of Telling Your Story

The Hartford Business Journal is asking businesses to "Tell Your Story!". Company stories are printed in their HBJ Business Profiles. What a great way to get some recognition and all you need is to write your story.

So many times I hear, "I don't have a story, we just started the business and started working." Okay maybe that's not exciting but there is a lot more behind, just starting a business. Sometimes it takes a third party to tease it out and find the gems worth writing about and sometimes it is just straight forward and can be inspiring to others who are looking to start a business.

I'm wondering how many would have liked to take advantage of the advertising by having their stories told in the HBJ but didn't have a story prepared and didn't have enough time before the deadline.

I recently worked with a client who won a prestigious award and was asked for a company story to print in the program of the awards dinner. Yikes, he didn't have one prepared and had almost no time before the deadline. Fortunately I had some time and was able to juggle some other things to get his story done for the program.

My advice is not to wait until you already have the need but have a story ready to go so you don't miss opportunities. It can be a great marketing piece to include online, with packages for prospects, in reception areas.....

Don't miss the opportunity, set some time aside during a slower period and write your story or get help, but get it done.

Business Storytelling: Networking with Stories

This past Thursday I attended a networking meeting. There were many familiar faces there but some new "commercials". One that impressed me was an insurance man who normally stands and gives the run down of services and products, very standard.

This week he started by saying that he wanted to share a couple of stories of customers that he helped this past week. He was engaging and informative as we all learned a bit more about the kinds of coverage he delivers and his commitment to servicing his clients. We talked briefly afterwards and I said how much I enjoyed his stories.

He was appreciative saying he had never tried anything like that before but that several people approached him to tell him what a great introduction he had. He thought he may have included a few too many stories and he may be right but he is on the right track by using stories. He received immediate feedback to just how powerful of a technique storytelling is in business.

So what's your 30 second story?

Business Storytelling: Keep it Short

This week I was leading a Business Writing class. One of the attendees said that a superior has complained about her writing. He claims to have ADHD and has a hard time reading her lengthy reports.

She explained to me that she likes to put her reports in story format because she believes by giving the context around an issue helps to make the issue more memorable and actionable. I happen to agree with her, however, the story can be short and still make the message memorable.

Together we reviewed some of her writing and found lots of room to trim wording. A few simple sentence restructures and she no longer had the passive voice throughout. I explained that you can tell a story in one sentence sometimes; just wanting to report in story format does not mean the writing has to be long.

Keep it short and it is easier to remember.

Business Storytelling: The Bill Rasmussen Story

This week I read a bit about Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN. Mr. Rasmussen is scheduled to be the featured speaker at a chamber event honoring 30 years of ESPN.

The article evoked happy memories of my time spent at the World Wide Leader in Sports network. The Bill Rasmussen story was well known to employess back then, I hope it still is. As a new employee I was trained by several longer term employess. Often times there would be downtime and we would chat. Invariably the story of how ESPN got its start would come up and the tale of a man with a simple dream would be told.

It seemed everyone knew the story or at least an abbreviated version of it. There was great pride in the telling of the story, engendering loyalty and respect. ESPN rose from first just local sports and the unheard of spelling bee to the undeniable leader in sports news.

What's your company's history. Find and tell it as new employees are onboarded. It will create an instant connection.

Stories for Fundraising

Some time ago a colleague sent her normal weekly news notes but with a twist. This one time instead of talking about her expertise topic she talked about her grandson's diabetes. She explained his need to test his sugars 4-5 times a day and that now he no longer needs to take insulin shots because of a computerized pump he wears around his waist.

She crafted the short (about 6 lines) story to educate and pluck our heart strings just a bit. Her last line is about the advances made so far to allow the pump but that more are needed so that her grandson can be like other children sneaking chips, or licking the frosting bowl when Ahma is making a cake.

She then had a short plea to get involved with juvenile diabetes and help raise funds for research. Beautiful, she captured our attention with the story, educated us to the need, touched us emotionally and then had a call to action. Great example for any persuassive piece. Don't forget the story but keep it short and engaging.

The Universality of Story

In the most recent edition of Speaker, magazine publication of the National Speakers Association, I found a great quote. In the article "A Positive Outlook" Suzie Humphreys is being interviewed about her business. She relays a situation that occurred to her during one of her presentations, she became ill and had to leave the stage. When she returned she told the audience why she had run out "they howled with laughter". Her wrap up quote is from Rembrandt, "That which is most personal is most universal."

This is the very point I make with many clients. It they are willing to tell a personal story they will connect with any audience. The American Idol like show now playing in Arab countries proves that we humans are more alike than we are different. Our basic human experiences will connect us. Think about that the next time you are looking for a story to include in a presentation. Keep it simple and enjoy the camaraderie it engenders.

Movie Trailers in 30 seconds

One final note here from the book "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath. In the book they refer to the movie trailers that are made to stick. Producers want you to remember the movie and anticpate its release so that you will go see it as soon as possible. By following the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. steps outline by the Heath Brothers trailers can be very sticky.

What I found interesting about this point is the ability to condense a two hour movie into a 30-60 second summary. Frequently clients balk at using customer stories in their elevator pitch because "you can't tell a story in 30 seconds". Movie studios have been proving that wrong for a long time. Yes it takes some work, yes it takes some practice, yes it is worth it! Stories are memorable and if you are not making your introductions memorable why attend networking events.

Craft a good 30 second client story and people will remember you.

SUCCESS from Made to Stick

In "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath the acronym SUCCESS is introduced early and carried throughout the book. In fact the second half of the book is dedicated to explaining and demonstrating each one of the letters in the acronym.

S - Simple
U - Unexpected
C - Concrete
C - Credible
E - Emotional
S - Story

The whole concept makes so much sense that I didn't even have to go back and review what SUCCESS stood for, I remebered. Obviously it was the Story piece that really caught my eye but after reading about the others it all is important to include in your marketing message to make it stick.

Review your marketing message and make sure each one of these six criteria exist and your message will be memorable.

More tidbits from Made To Stick

Frequently when I work with clients they express concern about my knowledge of their businesses. They usually feel the need to give me background information. I usually discourage this and always have to explain it because the client doesn't see how I could help them with stories if I don't know the business.

Chip and Dan Heath summed it up beautifully in their book "Made to Stick". They call it the Curse of Knowledge. Sometimes we know too much about our subject matter to be able to step back and look at it objectively and create the best marketing communications. Jargon is one of the biggest culprits here. People tend to fall into jargon without even realizing it. Most listeners/readers will never stop and ask what you mean, my guess is because of fear of looking stupid.

I always encourage those working on stories for marketing to run the stories by someone outside of the business and ask for feedback, did it make sense, was it complete, did it leave questions unanswered. Usually we are too close to the subject, Curse of Knowledge, to effectively edit our own work.

The more of an expert you are in your profession the more you need an outsider to help bring fresh eyes to your work.

More on the Elevator Pitch Contest

This past Thursday (9/11) the Secretary of State held its first ever finals in the Elevator Pitch Contest. The three contestants were given one minute to tell the audience of nearly 100 what they do. Interestingly enough all three contestants used mini stories in their pitches. They also included some facts and figures about the business but the main thrust was the story!

Just one more use for stories in the business world. Include a story about the inspiration for why you started the business or an inspirational client to punch up your own 30 second commercial,elevator pitch.

More on the 30 second commercial

In the last post I talked about the Elevator Pitch contest that the State of Connecticut and Microsoft held for small businesses. 26 participants each gave a one minute pitch on their business. I learned a lot at the contest including how long a minute is when people are talking about stuff you are not interested in. That's why I strongly advocate setting your pitch to know more than 30 seconds. If you are interesting or if your companion is interested in your business then you can expand on your pitch and fill in a lot of details. Keep it short and simple.

www.carolmon.com

Elevator Pitch/30 Second Commerical

The Elevator Pitch sometimes called a 30 second commercial seems to be catching on. There are tons of networking events for business people to attend and get to know other like minded folks. Frequently you are asked to stand and tell the group what you do in 30 seconds or less. The Elevator Pitch concept was developed to help you think like that. It assumes that you are in an elevator with an executive or prospect and you have just enough time to pitch from when you enter to when he/she exits. Even if you are not lucky enough to be in an elevator to pitch your business being able to say succinctly what it is you do is important.

Think about some of the nightmares you may have experienced at networking events or associaiton meetings. You nicely ask what it is some one does and they drone on for 2 minutes telling you way more than you had ever hoped to hear. Are you guilty of the same thing?

This morning in Connecticut there was an Elevator Pitch Contest sponsored by the State and Microsoft. 26 business owners and supporters came together to participate in the first (annual?) contest. The rules were strict, you had one minute to get your point across. At one minute you were asked to stop no matter where you were in your presentation. The first 13 people were all cut off mid sentence. It was a great lesson for many in how long they normally go on speaking without even realizing it.

The second half of the group was far more succinct and many had great messages. There were 3 winners who will go on to compete in a State Showcase in September. One of the winners was great because she told the us about the inspiration behind her business and her philosophy. She was totally engaing for the first 30 seconds. Then she went into a bit of a sales pitch but everyone listened because she had us with the story.

Personally I thought this was a great exercise for small businesses because a lot of people got to hear about their business and it really informed the owner about how well/poorly they communicate. I would love to see this type of event repeated for more business owners. They work so hard and sometimes forget that they must sell as well. To often it seems haphazard. Don't be like that, be prepared. Think about a short 30 second commercial that is engaging and interesting to use the next time some one says, "So what do you do?"

www.carolmon.com

Sales Stories

Yesterday I caught a short bit on the Today Show about the 105 year birthday of Harley Davidson. Tiki Barber was doing the reporting and visted the Harley plant. There the spokeswoman, when asked you must have some stories here, replied "We have 105 years of stories." As they toured around the museum she told short narratives about the various hogs, engines, bike parts etc.

Funny thing is that I am not a bike fan and can't imagine owning one but after watching this report (story) I wanted to be part of the experience, riding down the open road, part of the fun, the history. Story gave me the facts but more importantly it gave me the emotional experience and I wanted that to continue.

Harley Davidson knows it has a good story and it's personnel know how to use those stories to help sales.

What stories does your company have? How can you leverage them to increase sales?

www.carolmon.com

All Kinds of Stories

I was reading SpeakernetNews, an online newsletter when I came across the following tidbit from Lynda McDaniel (lynda_mcd@msn.com).


Storytelling in promotional materials — Lynda McDaniel

Speakers are great storytellers, but they often forget to use stories in their writing and promotional materials. They know that the stories they tell go straight to the heart. Same is true in writing. Stories tap into our emotions and don’t require the processing that more formal writing does. When you promote yourself, share a story about John, who wrote you after your speech and told you how his life had changed. Or Mary, who contacted you from her new job — thanks, in part, to your motivation. You’ve got success stories that will bring you even more success.

Obviously this is geared towards speakers but the same is true for anyone with promotional materials. And don't limit it to just the written material, those 30 second introductions could become the customer of the week story. Crafted properly, 4 lines in less than 30 seconds can tell the story. People will remember the story, enough stories and people get the whole picture of the services you offer.

carolmon@carolmon.com

Many Uses for one Story

This week I was working with a client on her story. She ran through the story and it sounded stilted and quite frankly a bit "bookish". At one point I asked her how she knew something was true, did she have research to back up her claim. "No", she said, "I lived it, that really happened to me"! Viola, I realized what the problem was, she was trying to make an emotional appeal to persuade and was not using her own emotions. With a few quick changes I had her tell me HER story soon I was listening to a friend tell me about a problem and how I could help to solve the problem and avoid it in the future. It was no longer a dry sales pitch.

When we finished that story we moved on to her second one. I convinced her instead of trying to create a whole new story she could use the same story and just emphasize different points. For instance the first version was to be used to sell programs to colleges. The second story was to be used to enlist the help of companies. By simply showing the pain (different pains) that was being solved for both by her programs she could practice and polish one story for both presentations.

Think about that next time you need to pitch an idea to different audiences. Use the same story and emphasize different points to solve the pain of your client.

Any questions let me know, www.carolmon.com

Happy Cinco de Mayo

As I sit here and keep hearing celebrations taking place for Cinco de Mayo it reminds me how holidays can make great story lead ins for ice breaking. Whether you find yourself at a cocktail party, networking event or just needing to make small talk little known holidays can be just the ticket. There are several sites and even books that list days of celebrations and some stories behind them. Think about ways that you can share this information with people you are just meeting or are looking to get to know better. If you have a personal story tied to the day even better. Image the stories Caesar tells (where ever he happens to be) every March 15th!

So, do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Are you wondering why we Americans make such a big deal about the Mexican Independence day? There is a story there, find it or create your own version and share it with others.

Adios.