I THINK — Stephen Burrell

storytelling

Marketing for kind

Getty Images ©

I think that there are only two kinds of marketers:
1) Market chasers, and
2) Category creators


Which one are you?
Not all marketing is marketing for good. I belong to a community of marketers and change makers who believe that as most of the world’s problems depend for their resolution on forms of human cooperation, so we have a responsibility to better use marketing to create positive change. We partly do this by stepping out of our day jobs and upcycling our marketing skills in support of inspiring charities and social enterprises. We coach each other into becoming more purposeful and impactful marketers in the digital fireside. And we recognise that the systems that which we are a part of are themselves shaped by stories that we tell each other across society.

The Universal Story Structure

Gustav Freytag was a 19th Century German novelist and playwright who developed a visual representation of the five-act structure common in classic plays and novels. This structure is known as Freytag’s Pyramid or triangle, or “the "dramatic arc," and  this a straightforward way of organising a tragic narrative into a beginning, middle, and ending, and is comprised of five distinct parts: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

 

I think stories are powerful because they transport us into other people’s world and in doing that, they change the way our brain works and potentially change our brain chemistry. This is what it means to be a social creature and connect with others, to care about others even complete strangers and its so interesting that dramatic stories cause us to do this. The same thing can happen when we watch movies or listen to music, we feel uplifted, we feel motivated, or we feel connected to others around us.

Louis Vuitton in Paris

How can you tell better stories about your products?
Stories speak to emotions, and it will result in a higher response. Facts and data can be leveraged but it’s the narrative that helps us to make sense of that data. I think that when you find a common ground and your audience can nod in agreement, then you will be in a better place to sell them something. All storytellers use contrast whether intuitively or consciously and it’s one of the most powerful devices in storytelling, for example, day and night, heroes and villains, good and bad, etc. When selling new products, I have found that we operate in the realm of what is versus what can be, and this is a powerful contrast. Don’t limit yourself to the story about the problem and the solution, see beyond and see what you can do in terms of contrast.

““My way of life is very simple, even though nowadays, success tends to be linked to fame, high life, and luxury.””
— Burrellism

Stories speak to emotions

We all know that there are two sides of the brain, the rational and the feelings/emotional side. In almost all kinds of decisions the emotional side of the brain is predominant, and stories speak to emotions. Nowadays when we are inundated with data and information it’s even more important that we focus on stories. You can speak about numbers, data and facts and leverage that in your storytelling, as the narrative helps us make sense of that data. I think that when we speak to people’s emotions it gathers and results in a higher response. Watch this video and see how changing the message will change the results.

Everyone has a story

As humans we have been raised to keep a tough appearance, not to share information, be guarded and scrutinise everybody who’s in our life. My education at home revolved around, “the more you know the further you will go” philosophy.
Someone said, “I don’t know how you do it.”
I said, “I wasn’t given a choice.”
I think even if the hero has no choice, it’s still taking courage to be courageous, and we all need role models who model these heroic traits for us.

“If you really think the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while counting your money.”
— Dr. Guy McPherson

Read the room

c/o New York Times

How can you improve the collaboration with your customers, internal stakeholders and colleagues?

The best storytellers, authors and speakers paint pictures giving the audience something they can visualise in their heads. They communicate the central issues of the discussion in a clear, fluent, and precise manner, and when they produce written material it’s clear, fluent, and easy to understand for the recipients. I think communication means both words and emotions, and what’s really powerful are words loaded with emotion. When communication flows with the right messaging, at the right time through the right channels, it can move nations, help people change directions, and establish an ideology for the good or bad.

You’ve got to develop your own style, become a student of style, and do this by not copying any one person. Everyone knows the old classic, “It’s not just what you say it’s also the way that you say it.” Your presentation will become more effective when you communicate with your heart and soul from deep inside with commitment and dedication. Contact me via e-mail to schedule a communication workshop for your team.

Don't blow your own trumpet

There’s no greater human experience than the experience of being understood. The final deliverable of a strategy is not a document as people don’t follow documents, they follow leaders and ideas. I think great leadership is always about a powerful narrative and the bigger the change, the more important the story becomes. Good stories engage people emotionally through vivid metaphors, examples, and images. Stories create meaning and people are in the search for meaning in their lives and in their workplace.

“The task of a leader is to be the trumpet that sounds the clear sound.”
— Peter Drucker

A gift on Monday

The sole purpose of marketing is to make a change, this is a big statement. Marketing is what we do when we want to change culture and behaviour, when we want things to be different. I think marketing is the work of telling a story that’s true to someone specific to help them see the world differently and take a different action, and if this change doesn’t happen then there is no marketing. Marketing is the generous act of leading people to get them to make things better.

To begin the marketing journey we have to be specific and ask ourselves two questions:

  • Who is it for? (Target audience)

  • What are the changes we seek to make? (How would they like to receive this content?)

Simple is hard

People can explain away numbers, but anecdotes tell the emotional story. I think that it’s a good idea to have cross-functional teams sit in on interviews to hear feedback first-hand and include their questions to ensure customers dig into areas that matter to your team. Whenever possible, have some of the executive team join in as it can be jaw-dropping for someone in the C-suite to hear from a customer that the program they relentlessly pushed for creates a negative experience.

“The more you rehearse, the less rehearsed you sound.”
— Burrellism
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Trust the process

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Have you ever been in the situation where you are presenting to potential client and you can see that they just don’t seem to “get it”?

Would you like to know how to share your story in a way that builds trust and interest with your ideal clients without sounding like you’re just bragging about yourself?

Would you like to know how to teach in a way that opens up your listeners to new perspectives and helps them visualise what it’s like to be successful with you?

Would you like to how to talk about your products and services in a way that gets your audience taking notes and leaning in, instead of feeling like you’re being pushy and selling them?

Would you like to know exactly how to structure a great talk and stories within that talk so you can create sales with confidence every time you speak?

Contact me via e-mail to schedule a meeting about the right framework for driving growth for your business.

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A simple buying process

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I love to simplify complex things and I think that buyers go through 3 stages before purchase:

⁃  Awareness: What’s the problem and what’s the desired outcome?
⁃  Consideration: How can we achieve these things?
⁃  Decision: Who are we going to do this with?

The first two platforms are a battle over ideas and as a salesperson you must come into buying meetings with good questions and ideas. Buyers usually do their research and will get the facts and figures online, so salespersons have to step their game. We have start getting salespersons to start having conversations instead of giving presentations - true storytelling with references and testimonials. Contact me via e-mail when you are ready for a sales training and storytelling workshops.

Speakers' corner

Storytelling is an undervalued and underused art in the world of business. I think it’s unfortunate that it’s only in our roles as businesspeople that we avoid using stories. We share the latest organisational gossip with our colleagues, and we tell our friends stories about our personal lives. Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park has been a traditional site for public speeches and debates since the mid 1800's when protests and demonstrations took place there. As a child my parents would take us to Speakers' Corner. 

When was the last time you heard a story used to introduce and discuss a business issue? Do you have high anxiety around public speaking? Contact me via e-mail if you are interested in learning how to share a short story that other people in the room can relate to.

Expect the unexpected

Photograph: © MBI/Alamy

As human beings we are always trying to make sense of the world and it’s very easy to be seduced by your own narratives. When things happen to us or to our communities or to our nations, we understand those events through the lens of culture, ideology or through our limited knowledge. Many of us have answers to these questions because we’ve spent years or decades in some cases perfecting our stories. What would happen if we just stopped and admitted that we don’t have a very good handle on the world situation and our theories are just that - theories. 

We are constantly coming up with stories about why the events are the way they are. It’s not like the people who are coming up with the stories are malicious or they are trying to draw the wrong conclusions about the world. Many are deeply well intentioned and want the best things for everyone else. It’s just the act of storytelling itself runs the risk for encapsulating from too little data to sweeping a conclusion. You can read an article from The Guardian about the heavy burden of being Black in a white space.

Tell good stories

Storytelling is ingrained in our culture, in fact, ever since humans first walked the earth, we have shared stories. The basic purpose of a storytelling is to share a story, message or theme that is understood universally by your audience, even though it doesn’t have to be interpreted the same way by every person. Great storytelling connects our past, present, and future. 

Here are three fundamental keys to creating a good story: 
-       I did this …
-       Then I did this …
-       Then this happened.

I think your storytelling will create a mental image or entice the listener into the story and this requires that the audience be actively engaged. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve moved the audience to tears unless they know how they can make a difference, so remember to add a call to action.

Show and tell

The best storytellers, authors and speakers paint pictures giving the audience something they can visualise in their heads. I help managers and leaders gain clarity in their message so that they can grow their influence and build trust in the workplace. Gaining more clarity about what their message is and then looking at the steps and things that they can do to get even more clarity. Getting managers and leaders pointed in the right direction to help them implement and put things in their lives that can take them and their team forward, for example, journaling, tracking the data, finding out why “X” felt that way, etc.

 

I have clarity about who I am, I have clarity about my story and how to share it in a way that brings value to the people in the room. Do you know what your gifts are and where your talents are best used? Do you know how to build your story so that it elevates others? My mission is to make people great communicators - transmitting their message clearly and concisely so that it is understood - regardless of their field or career path. Reach out to me via e-mail if you would like to learn how you can share better, message better, communicate better.

Follow the leader

I think that there’s a science to storytelling. Good storytellers transport their audiences, making them feel what the characters feel. For audiences to bond with characters in this way, there has to be some sort of arousal response in the brain. I mean that in order to engage the listener, storytelling requires the ability to tell a story with just the right emotion, description, and details… not too much and not too little. 

 

What distinguishes business storytelling from classical storytelling?
Business storytelling has a clearly stated point. Classical stories are enriched by multi-layered interpretations, but in business storytelling, there should be no doubt in the listeners’ minds about what they should do in response to your story. When it comes to business stories, don’t just wing it and ramble. Know the structure that will be easiest for your audience to follow and then they will not only follow the story, but they’ll also follow you as a leader.

The keys to a good story

When it comes to storytelling one of the best ways to draw people to you is not by telling them - you should do this or that, you should listen to me, etc. A much more powerful and persuasive way to do it is to share the same lesson in a story. I think that sharing a good story is a win-win as both the storyteller and the audience are elevated to a higher level. The more you tell, the more you sell, set the stage, start dialogues, and present the point.

 

I think all good stories starts with you taking the audience to a time and place when this happens, and you need to be very specific. Perhaps, I’m mistaken but I remember that fairy tales always start with, “once upon a time.” When I tell stories I always try to set the stage, for example, “many years ago I did…” to create a mental image in your imagination. I like to use dialogues because dialogues are so powerful in storytelling as places the listeners and readers right in the middle of the scenario. For example, how many of you can visualise a 2m tall guy on stage from the back of the room? See, dialogue immediately puts your listeners right into the middle of the action, and this is a very powerful thing to do. What’s the moral of the story? What’s the transformation? What’s the one takeaway that you want the listener to have? 

What is your story?

I think for brand storytelling to work, we have to understand where we’re starting, where it is we aspire to be, how much time we’re willing to invest and how committed we are to executing this consistently. And that’s when we’ll see the relative force behind a brand story jump dramatically. The force is your brand story and what you are able to accomplish by committing to it over a specific period of time.

 

How consistently will you tell your brand story? This usually follows closely on the heels of an organisation’s willingness to change how they approach marketing and how they connect with audiences. Are you trying to accomplish great things but refuse to step away from your brand-centred tactics? Alternatively, are you willing to become customer-centric and shift your efforts in their direction? Where you are right now with your level of sophistication in brand storytelling? Contact me via e-mail fro arrange a storytelling workshop for your brand.

Storytelling on Sunday

Business storytelling elements help you engage your audience and leave a lasting impression. A story with business impact can be as short as one sentence, a three-minute speech, or a thirty-minute product demonstration. No matter what, it should have the following:
-       An intriguing beginning
-       A riveting middle
-       And a satisfying end


For brand storytelling to work, we have to understand where we’re starting, where it is we aspire to be, how much time we’re willing to invest and how committed we are to executing this consistently. That’s when we’ll see the relative force behind a brand story jump dramatically. I have helped leaders build relationships, credibility, and impact via stories. Contact me via e-mail for a meeting about how to create a short story that other people can relate to.

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Facts on Friday

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The real difference between us and chimpanzees is the mysterious glue that enables millions of humans to cooperate effectively. This mysterious glue is made of stories, not genes. We cooperate effectively with strangers because we believe in things like gods, nations, money, and human rights. Yet none of these things exists outside the stories that people invent and tell one another. There are no gods in the universe, no nations, no money, and no human rights – except in the common imagination of human beings. You can never convince a chimpanzee to give you a banana by promising him that after he dies, he will get limitless bananas in chimpanzee heaven. Only Sapiens can believe such stories. This is why we rule the world, and chimpanzees are locked up in zoos and research laboratories.

From “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari