Presented on February 27, 2014 for Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce members, this presentation answers the following questions: Why tell stories? What is a story? How do I tell stories effectively? Presenter and owner of Wordcraft Corporate Storytelling Co. Eric Reynolds offers insight into everything from high-level strategy to handy DIY marketing tools.

3. “The single biggest problem in
communication is the illusion that it has
taken place.”
- George Bernard Shaw
“And God said. . .”
- Genesis 1:3

4. Why tell
stories?
What is a
story?
How do I
tell
stories?

6. Why tell
stories?
• Brand
– Stories are “easier for people to learn,
remember, and share with others.” – John
Walsh
– Every interaction is your brand
• SEO
– You‟re being searched for online
– Hummingbird: Google algorithm

7. Helpful tools

8. • Thinglink.com
– Pinterest on steroids
– Hyperlinked images
• Conduit.com
– DIY mobile apps
– Cut $10,000 down to $1,000/yr

9. What is a story?
Plot
(Crisis?)
Character
(Hero?)
Choice
Not a list!
“Choice the most
fundamental
building block of
story.”
- Robert McKee in
Story hinge on

10. Helpful questions to consider:
1. Voice (Who are you?)
What is your organization‟s vision? What is your
personality? What are some measures of success? What
are your beliefs or values? What is your mission?
2. Audience (Who are they?)
Demographics? Psychographics? Ask the market what to
market
3. Purpose (What is the point?)
What is the call to action? Change or enhance what
consumer behavior? Is it consistent with the mission? Is

11. How do I tell
stories?
1. Select a story
2. Push through the story
3. Envision the scene with
present-day feelings and
concerns
4. Tell the story from the view of
someone at the scene
5. Establish the story‟s central
truth
6. Find a memory hook
7. Tell a story within a story
8. Plan your first words
9. Know how the story ends
10. Research the facts
11. Eliminate needless detail
12. Add description to the story
13. Include audience participation

33. More helpful
tools

34. • Basecamp.com
– Project management made easy
• Hubspot.com
– Free writing resources

35. Building Blogs for B-to-B
Beneficiaries:
• Print
• Social Media
• Internal
• External
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Generate content ideas
Show don‟t sell
Avoid „link bait‟
Get your entire company on board
Recruit outside talent
Create catchy yet concise headlines
Be SEO-savvy
Think quality over quantity
Integrate blogs with other campaigns

36. What‟s
next?