Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business

Normal:
Things are how they are.
Explosion:
Something happens.
New Normal:
Things are different.
New Normal
The third and final phase is the new normal. This is where you share with
your audience what life is like now, after the explosion. You tell them what you
know now, why you are wiser or stronger or how you improved (or are still
trying to improve) as a result. It could be a moral. It could be when a client lived
happily ever after, after using your product or service. It could include a call to
action. However it comes together, the new normal is why storytelling works as
a strategy to convey a point or enhance a message and not just to entertain. The
new normal is what makes a story worth listening to in business.
Just the Beginning . . .
So cute puppies and talented directors don’t guarantee great stories. Despite
what some may tell you, a mission statement isn’t a story. A brand isn’t a story.
Marketing jargon isn’t a story. Additionally, a story doesn’t have to be
complicated. Introduce a few characters, paint a picture using a particular

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moment in time with specific details and the emotions involved, and you’re on
your way to story success.
The next question, of course, is, which stories should you use? There are an
infinite number of them. Where do you even start?
There are four key story types that appear over and over again in business.
They are the stories that illustrate not only what you offer but why and how. No
matter what the gap is in your business, one of these four stories will be the
bridge you need.
Sometimes the best way to learn to tell a great story is to see others at work.
Each of the following four essential stories has its characters and its audience.
Each has a purpose in your business. You don’t need to create all of them at
once. But when it comes to the infinite universe of possible tales, understanding
these four types of business stories will help you decide not only which ones to
tell but how best to tell them.
That’s what we’ll tackle next.

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