In a world where social media is growing in importance for corporate communication and businesses are being told at every opportunity they need to build a brand or tell their story, little guidance is offered in just how to do that.
The most important aspect of storytelling is listening, not telling.
Think of a news reporter. We remember those who have a big presence on air or sterling prose in print. Being able to turn a phrase or a memorable line can help us pay attention to their messaging but….where does that message actually come from.
That’s the reporter part of the equation, not the teller part.
Listening for even the smallest cue or emotional angle and building on it can turn the also-ran into a storyteller to be remembered. Those who ‘dig deeper’ and peel back the onion of information gathering will be the ones who deliver the most worthwhile communication. Churchill’s great ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ speech is a prime example….he changed the subject from battling a vastly superior foe to fighting for freedom and democracy.
