Wow! It has been are too long since I have posted! That can't happen anymore!
So, how are you? Have you been working on your stories? I hope so, because if you want to influence, story is the best way to do so.
It is interesting to me how many companies, marketers, salespeople, CEO's and people in just about every walk of life are now using stories to get their message across. The fact that story is the best, and probably the oldest, form of communication on earth is starting to dawn on more people everyday.
I remember being at John Maxwell training last year when they announced that they had a guest speaker to introduce. The room started to murmur with excitement and they announced that they were going to have the great motivational speaker Les Brown provide us with some words of wisdom in a fashion that only can be delivered by Les! The energy in the room was off the charts! Everyone in the room knew who Les Brown was and then he walked out on stage! To have him walk out on stage as a surprise guest speaker was awesome! I was in the back third of the room but thought that even from that vantage point, he was larger than life.
Les Brown talked for an hour. He talked about "being hungry, you got to be hungry!" if you want to increase your business and reach the levels of success desired. The other thing I really noticed was how he really took command of the stage. I mean he owned that stage and that room. He made a connection with every corner of that room, which had just over a thousand people in attendance. You felt like he was talking directly to you.
Then he said something that I will never forget. He said, "never make a point without a story and never tell a story without a point."
So, why do I tell this story? Here is my point, whether you are in sales, a CEO or a parent (or all three).
If you are in sales and you want to make a point that will help you win over a customer, have a story that makes your point. Don't ramble on, make your point with your story and move on. If you try to use a lot of logic and reason, features and benefits and use some of the overcoming objections training you have received in the past, don't be surprised if you lose the sale. Meet your prospective customer in the part of the brain (the limbic brain) that is responsible for decision making by telling them a story about working with a customer who had the same issue or problem and how that issue was resolved by working together. Make the customer you worked with the hero.
Are you a CEO looking to change the culture of your company? Storytelling is the best communication method to help you reach this objective. Think I'm a little off base? Well, storytelling is what Steve Wynn credits for creating the phenomenal culture within his hotel chain. In fact, as his managers change shifts, they ask their co-workers if they have any good customer service stories to tell them. Everyday, three times a day. Don't believe me? Check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOesXyfJGI0 and start at the 12:00 minute mark and keep watching until the 18:02 mark. You will be glad you did.
Are you a department leader looking to lift the performance of others? Use stories that allow your co-worker to visualize how you have worked with others and were able to assist them in improving their performance. This is a much better communication method to use versus the "just do as I tell you" approach.
Are you a parent with a teenager? What is the one thing you don't want them doing when they are behind the wheel of a car? Right, no texting! Now, you can play your "authority card" and tell them they will lose their driving privileges if you catch them texting and driving and it might do the trick. But, try this. Find a story on the Internet about a teen who died while driving and texting (unfortunately these tragic stories are easy to find) and simply give it to your teenager to read. Then tell them that "if our names were in this story, it would break my heart." I bet this will have a bit more impact on your teenager.
Remember, no matter who you are trying to influence, facts tell and stories sell.
