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_Reports inform, while stories entertain._  Nancy Duarte

Stories are a powerful tool in business. As Nancy Duarte, author of _Data Story_ and _Resonate_ , says, stories are the sugar that helps the medicine go down.

If a report primarily conveys _information_ , then stories produce an _experience_ , she says. One of the reasons presentations are dull is because there are no identifiable story patterns.

Leaders need to connect people to ideas with their words, often to bring people together or to change behaviour. Stories are ideal to do this.

There is a growing trend in _business storytelling_ sohere we explore what it is, and how you can be a better storyteller.

_Today storytelling is as critical as data._  Yamini Naidu

Business storytelling is tapping into the emotions of others to persuade and inform them or change their behaviour.

Business storytelling expert Yamini Naidu says storytelling is a soft power.

Hard power is about **coercion**. Soft power is about **attraction**. Hard power is push, and soft power is pull, she says.

Pulling and attracting customers, staff, and others to join you in a journey \(as opposed to pushing them\) is what business storytelling is all about.

As Microsoft Corporation corporate vice president Danl Lewin says business storytelling is about being purposeful about how and where you take your audience.

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What Is Business Storytelling?

As _On Purpose_ author Karen James says, Our minds are story processors, not logic processors  we retain more from a story.

Stories are the way humans connect with each other.

_When we see or hear a story, the neurons in our brain fire in the same patterns as the speaker's, a process known as neural coupling. You also hear it referred to as mirroring._ \(1\)

For a business, this connection draws in stakeholders interest, encourages them to want to know more, and helps them remember your main messages.

Here are the reasons why:

Storytelling In Business: Why Are Stories So Powerful?

Anyone whos seen a Specsavers ad will know how businesses can make themselves relatable with stories.

Instead of listing features or prices of their prescription glasses, the retailers ads are short stories - like a surfer mistaking his ironing board for his surfboard.

_Shouldve gone to Specsavers_ is splashed over the image of him running into the waves, ironing board under his arm.

The audience relates to the frustration and embarrassment of poor eyesight, and sees the glasses retailer as an ally who knows and understands this.

Other successful business storytelling may include business struggles, inspiring moments, mistakes made, humble beginnings etc.

Stories Are Relatable

_People retain up to 70% of information shared via a story versus only 5% to 10% via statistics alone._  London School of Business

We all know the story of the Trojan Horse, where Greek warriors hid inside a giant wooden sculpture of a horse to get inside the walls of the city of Troy.

As Jonah Berger, author of _Contagious_ points out, this story has been passed on for _thousands_ of years. Put simply, stories make information highly memorable.

_While people focus on the story itself, information comes along for the ride,_ he says.

Expert Yamini Naidu says businesses can take advantage of storytelling to make their message memorable.

_When you share a story people connect with it in a moment. Whats more they understand, remember, and will often retell it._

Stories Are Memorable

_When we hear a story..our brain lights up like Las Vegas._  Daniel Coyle, _The Culture Code_

In a world noisy with social media and email, stories have valuable cut-through.

Business storytelling simply takes advantage of this human compulsion to tell stories to communicate data, ideas, and our purpose to stakeholders.

Read on for reasons why.

3 Reasons To Incorporate Business Storytelling

_To achieve the success that come with developing passionate fans of your business of your business, fandom culture is necessary,_ David Meerman Scott and Reiko Scott, co-authors of _Fanocracy._

Stories helps to create fans of your business by helping them resonate with your brand.

Your fans could be customers, employees, peers, or suppliers who can envision a shared future \(such as a goal or behaviour\) thanks to your stories.

What matters is stablishing the link and consistently creating engagement around it. What matters is the story, says author Daniel Coyle in _The Culture Code._

Stories Help People Resonate With Your Brand

_Earth is now our only shareholder._

If you want to read a persuasive story, look at [Patagonia](https://www.patagonia.com/ownership/) founder Yves Chouinards story about donating all profits to help the planet.

By being relatable and memorable, stories like those from Patagonia are highly persuasive.

In _Made to Stick_ Dan and Chip Heath describe what makes things stick in our brains.

They list out **six qualities** using the acronym S.U.C.C.E.S:

**Simple** : Simplicity is the key.

**Unexpected** : Surprises you and makes you want to know more.

**Concrete** : Creates a clear mental picture for people.

**Credible:** Uses statistics, expert endorsements, etc.

**Emotional** : Appeals to deep human instincts

**Stories** : Takes you on a journey that helps you see how an existing problem might change.

In a nutshell, they say stickiness is Can you understand it, can you remember it, can you re-tell it?

Stories Can Be Persuasive (Without Being Pushy)

_Connectivity can be supercharged when it links someone, along with her peers, to a larger belief or philosophy._  Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms, _New Power_

We follow people we believe in; those we feel connected to.

As Heimans and Timms say in _New Power_ , the most resonant ideas are not those that get flashed at the highest number of people, but those that become individualised expressions of affiliation and identity among peers.

Telling stories about your company taps into the identity of the person hearing your story. You see them, you know them, you are there for them.

Stories Help People Connect With Your Business

4 Tips To Deepen Your Business Storytelling Skills

You cant rally troops if the troops dont get motivated by the same things you do. For this reason, its hugely important to know who youre talking to when constructing your story.

Leadership speaker and author of _Leading Well,_ [Holly Ransom](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/leadershipfutureuncertainty), taught our masterclass that the **6 core human drivers** are:

Know Who Youre Talking To

1.Variety and challenge

2.Contribution and impact

3.Love and connection

4.Growth and development

5.Certainty and safety

Be aware that a story that you tell because it motivates you could scare another. They cant see their why in our why, explains Holly.

6.Significance and worth

_We sell feelings, status, and connection, not tasks or stuff._  Seth Godin

What are you trying to say when you tell a story? Apple founder Steve Jobs famously launched the Apple iPod as 1000 songs in your pocket.

His message was not selling his audience a smaller Sony Walkman. He wasnt selling stuff.

Yamini Naidu says a sales team not reaching targets \(because they hate calling up leads\) may not respond to their manager urging them to make more calls.

But she shared how a CEO telling a story of hating Brussels sprouts as a child but eating them first so he could get on with enjoying the rest of his meal did help to convey the message:

Can we treat the sales leads like Brussels sprouts, and deal with them early in the week so we can enjoy the rest of the week?

Sharpen the Message Youre Trying to Convey

Yamini Naidu says there is no need to lose hard data when storytelling. Instead, add in the story.

Stories have been described as a [bridge](https://blog.rewardian.com/blog/2016/09/21/data-told-as-a-story-is-more-memorable-than-on-its-own-research-finds) for data to be absorbed by the more influential, emotional side of the brain.

A study by Stanford professor Chip Heath found 63% of those tested were able to remember stories, while only 5% could remember a single statistic.

As well, we tend to suspend disbelief and get carried along when told a story, whereas we might look for faults in a raft of data.

Use Hard Data But Use The Story Too

_On the Titanics maiden voyage 700 people arrived in New York._

This is factually true but there is no mention that the ship sank and 1500 people died, says Yamini Naidu, quoting speaker and author Steve Denning.

Speechwriter and author of _Leading Lines_ , Lucinda Holdforth, told us in interview how enthusiasm is no excuse for not telling the truth.

_Business people have to be passionate, excited about what they do but that can often mean that they can glide over negative issues or problems in the business._

_That lowers your credibility. It actually, weirdly, increases your credibility by being open and transparent._

Stories must be authentic and true, says Yamini.

Tell The Truth And Be Authentic

The worlds only economist turned business storyteller Yamini Naidu conducted a business storytelling masterclass for Growth Faculty. She explained how she helps leaders shift from spreadsheets to stories.

Her clients include Google, Adidas, Ford Motor Company, Goldman Sachs and Tiffany & Co. [Read our summary here.](https://www.thegrowthfaculty.com/blog/howtodobusinessstorytelling)

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Reference:

1\. _The Neuroscience of Storytelling_ , The NeuroLeadership Institute website

Photo by [Matthew Osborn](https://unsplash.com/@matthewosborn?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/wMRIcT86SWU?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)

Business storytelling: What is it and why is it crucial to your business

Learn how stories can help you better connect with stakeholders

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

Business storytelling: What is it and why is it crucial to your business

Learn how stories can help you better connect with stakeholders

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired