In this session, you'll learn the difference between a story that grabs the viewer's attention and one that does not. Joe Lazauskas explains why relatability, novelty, fluency, and tension are key parts to telling great stories.

2. Joe Lazauskas
CO-AUTHOR,
THE STORYTELLING EDGE
+
HEAD OF MARKETING, CONTENTLY

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OXYTOCIN!

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Stories make
our brains
synthesize
oxytocin: the
neurochemical
that triggers
empathy and a
feeling of
connection.

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Stories
illuminate
the city of
our mind.

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Neurons that
fire together,
wire together.”
“

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Stories
make us
remember.
Stories
make us
care.

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Stories
make us
remember.
Stories
make us
care.
(Which is what all
brands want.)

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Able to predict purchase actions
with a 83% accuracy based on immersion
levels while hearing a brand story
Heart Rate + Oxytocin = Immersion

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Stories make
our brains
want to buy.

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Stories make
our brains
want to buy.
(Which is what all
brands REALLY want.)

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Content
marketing
works because
our brains are
programmed
for stories.

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The Problem:
Most brands are not
great at telling
stories.
Smart Insights
AllAccess.com

17. Source: Beckon
5% of
content gets
90% of
attention
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18. How do you break through?
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Tell stories
that your
customers’
brains can’t
help but
love.

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1. Relatability
2. Novelty
3. Fluency
4. Tension
4 Keys to
Immersive
Content

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Relatability
“I know this world /I
see myself in this
story.”

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Where does your
audience spend most
of their time, and
what format do they
prefer to consume
on that channel?
Story, not stats.
Write at a 4th grade
level, not 12th.
Quick cuts, action
that brings you in
immediately.
Great Stories

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Increase in
Engineer Applications
8x

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Novelty
Ooh this is something new, my
brain better pay attention.

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Took a $4.5K investment
& created a billion dollar brand.

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FluencyHow easy is it to get
absorbed in this story

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I’m no
Hemingway…”
“

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My writing level:
7th grade.
“

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Hemingway’s writing level:
4th grade.
“

38. Most
consumers
don’t read
at a high
school
level.

39. Most
consumers
tune out if
there’s not
action and
story
within the
first 3
seconds of
a video.

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Where does your
audience spend most
of their time, and
what format do they
prefer to consume
on that channel?
Story, not stats.
Write at a 4th grade
level, not 12th.
Quick cuts, action
that brings you in
immediately.
Great Stories

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How can you make your content as fluent as
possible?
Channel Articles Video
Where does your
audience spend most
of their time, and
what format do they
prefer to consume
on that channel?
Story, not stats.
Write at a 4th grade
level, not 12th.
Quick cuts, action
that brings you in
immediately.
Great Stories

42. Let’s be
innovative!
Let’s make
… a pdf!

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Tension
The gap between what is and what could be.

46. Source: Beckon 46

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Story pattern

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Relatability
Speak directly to your audience and
make them the central character in your
stories.
Novelty
Show and tell people something that
they’ve never seen before.
Fluency
Make it as easy as possible for people to
get engrossed in your content.
Tension
Tell a story about the gap between
“what is” and “what could be” for your
customers.
Story-Brain
Checklist

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A Golden Age for brands
who want to build
meaningful relationships
with their audience

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Let’s do
content
marketing
that breaks
through.
“

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Next Up:
The Art and Science of Remote
Content Collaboration
April 9, 11 AM
Featuring:
Dream Teams Author
Shane Snow &
Contently Editor-in-Chief
Jordan Teicher

53. Q&Alazer@contently.com

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Now time
for a game!
Top 5 scorers get a storytelling edge kit
*Look for the link in the chat*

55. Thank
you.
New York
44 Wall Street
Suite 1300
New York, NY 10005