Defining Story

No boring stories allowed

No one wants to hear a story about a man who was born into a wealthy family, went to the best private school, was captain of his high school football team, went to Harvard, became a doctor, married his college sweetheart… Boring, isn’t it?

I’d rather hear a story about a woman who cut school, sneaked out at night, got in trouble, got picked up for being a prostitute (but really wasn’t one), got pregnant… And then she realized that she didn’t want to bring up her daughter that way, and went to junior college at night… She got her degree in business and now employs 30 young women.

The power of story is when we can learn from the mistakes of others, so we don’t have to suffer ourselves.

Truth or fiction?

I had an unsettling conversation this morning. A man I’ve had several conversations with said that he had heard, “Don’t let the truth stand in the way of a good story.”  Yes, a tall tale can be fun in a social setting, but you can’t get away with taking liberties with the truth in business. There is no hiding anymore. That’s a good thing. When you are authentic and tell your true stories, you automatically attract business that’s right for you.

The best marketing tool is a true, well crafted story.

Welcome to Defining Story

Hi,

I’m so glad you stopped by.  When you need someone to remember what you said, anchor your facts with a story. When you want someone to take action, tell a story.

This blog is about storytelling. Please make comments and ask questions.