Storytelling Training Course: how we can help

Every storytelling training course we run starts with a simple question.

Why do you want to tell stories?

Is it to engage your audiences more effectively? To drive more revenue to your business?

You may have already heard the phrase “facts tell, stories sell”.

So does that mean by telling stories, you’re guaranteed a big jump in sales?

No.

It needs to be the right story told at the right time. 

Here’s an overview of how we can help you find it.

1. Consider the audience

There’s a time and a place for telling stories in business.

For example, if you’ve been urgently summoned to update senior leadership, you’ll want to wait.

It’s all a question of what the audience needs from you.

Do they need information communicated quickly and succinctly? 

In that case, hold off with the story.

Do you have the time to be more colourful, more visual, more interesting with your information?

Then it’s story time.

2. What’s the point?

The next step is all about choosing the right story.

There’s little point telling us about your holiday to Rome if there’s an absence of relevance to your business.

So ask yourself: what’s the point of this story?

What is its purpose? What is it conveying?

You’ve struck gold when you find your story’s link to business.

I heard someone do this on one of our courses recently:

“Last month, I heard news that no son or daughter ever wants to hear.

“My dad told me he had prostate cancer.

“Initially, I was devastated. My head was a mess. I barely slept that entire week.

“But slowly I realised, even in a small way, I could help. We could help.

“Our company’s entire purpose is to help people like my dad.

“Now, I’m hopeful for the future. And I know I can keep helping more patients just like him.”

A short yet powerful story with a clear business link.

3. Visual simplicity

This is absolutely vital.

Be as visual as you can with your words.

And keep it simple.

Together, these two skills lie at the heart of every good children’s book.

It’s the reason why they ask for us to read them bedtime stories.

With words, we can transport an audience to another world.

Do the same with the stories you tell.

Take us to a different time, a different place.

Talk about what you saw, heard, sensed, felt.

Speak simply rather than risk overcomplication.

Here’s a fantastic example of doing both things from TED Talker Sara Lomelin.

This is really good.

It’s as visual as it gets.

It has a clear link to business.

And it’s the perfect audience.

Interested in running a storytelling training course for your team?

Get in touch with us.

We’ve run this course in dozens of countries around the world.

In person, or online.

Let us help you write your own happily ever after.

Photos in Storytelling training course blog by Pink Elephant Communications.
Storytelling training course blog written by Colin Stone.
Storytelling training course blog edited by Maxine Montgomery.