Can you turn storytelling into a business? Yes you can. And you can do it full time, just like Aneeta is doing. Or you can use it to promote your business, or career by telling your value stories, at the right time, place, and for the right reasons.
Storytelling has gone beyond entertainment, a hobby. It is now big business. This business is changing the lives of people, communities, the workplace, managers and professionals. It is also lifting the fortunes of storytellers, corporate bodies and many organisations.
Storytelling. Simple word. But do you know how to use it, or do you understand the business side of it? Maybe you are still thinking of it as those bed time tales you heard when you were young to lull to sleep, tickle your imagination, or develop your literary sense.
Today, storytelling is much more than that, helping professionals and products to sell and keeping many communication specialists in business. Why is this form of communications gaining commercial prominence? Read what Sarjit Singh, a professional trainer and storyteller says:
Effective storytelling is a fine and beautiful art. A well presented story can transcend all age barriers, hold interest and reach its listeners. As a professional trainer/consultant, storytelling is what I do all the time. Stories are useful to help listeners create associations to what they learned and help in memory retention.”
The power of storytelling lies largely in the fact that, you can use it to effectively pass on value messages in a very natural way, to make maximum impact on your audience. Think big of storytelling and you will become a good storyteller. If you watch a movie; it is storytelling. Read a novel; it is same thing. Listen to a motivational speaker; watch drama or performing arts, a home video, television, or listen to a radio commercial; they are all telling stories.
A comedian thrills his audience with plenty of stories that are presented as jokes. So does your favourite newspaper or magazine with news and reports; or an advocate making a case in a law court.
The reach and application of storytelling is enormous but hardly do some professionals realize this. Even if they do, they may not discern the business side of it. Tell a businessman/woman: “If you want to expand your business, tell your value stories.” S/he will glare at you as if it is mockery.
Master storytellers; whether orators, spokespersons, preachers, writers, corporate chieftains, politicians, professional speakers or attorneys at law, always come out tops in any endeavour they embark upon.
Storytelling is what has brought fame and fortune for Chinua Achebe, Nigeria’s celebrated writer, and author of the African literary classic, Things Fall Apart. What you should realize is that, doing storytelling as a business, or using it as a marketing tool to promote your business, is not the exclusive preserve of authors, copywriters, journalists, screenwriters or movie directors. It is a skill you can learn, this time, not to tell bed time stories, but to tell your value stories and instantly connect with your audience and sell. This skill can help you to sell more, remain competitive, be a market leader, get more customers, advance your career, move up the corporate ladder, and excel in any competition.
Storytelling can also help you to clinch that job over other applicants, win that case, push your proposal through, make that sale, win that contract, persuade your spouse and loved ones, or convince your boss to approve your idea.
The benefits of storytelling are just too many. Yet many professionals denigrate it. You will hear a manager telling a junior officer: Just make sure you do this assignment well and get results. I don’t want stories -oh! What they mean is that they do not want excuses. Excuses and storytelling are different. The former is inability to perform; the latter is communicating to perform.
To enjoy the benefits of storytelling, do not just depend on advertising and public relations professionals. You just have to learn how to persuade others and how to tell value stories. To do them, you need to invest a little time, money and energy to learn how to tell great stories with great impact from a specialist.
“How do I do this?” you may ask. Well, you’ve come to the right place. You see, Aneeta left law practice a few years ago. She dedicated her time to learning and promoting the craft and business of storytelling on the internet and this website, How To Tell A Great Story is the product of her endeavours. She is currently the author of The Banana Leaf Men (a novel) and co-author of Snapshots! (a Write Vibes Collection of Short Stories).
In her ebook, How To Tell A Great Story, she has packaged as the RPI Principle which offers simple cutting edge strategies. Her technique is simple to learn and apply. All it takes is a visit to her website and get her e-book which offers plenty of business sense, tips and advice.
What she offers on this site is a good opportunity for professionals to learn how to express themselves and touch the lives of their customers and other stakeholders with stories.
Alan Boress, author of, I-Hate-Selling, describes the programme like this:
“All sales are made at the emotional level. Most people don’t realize that in order to sell your idea, product or service, you must reach the buyer on the emotional level, or don’t bother even trying.”
“The ability to tell a story or anecdote, powerfully, is an absolutely vital to your success, no matter what you do. Stories are interesting; they touch the buyers in a way that can move them and separate you from competition. Aneeta’s book can help you greatly improve your abilities in this area; it will make you money and more effective in selling your ideas for the rest of your life.”
Eric Okeke is a storyteller, editor, business writer, motivational speaker and author of the best selling book: I Want a Husband. He is one of Nigeria’s most experienced financial journalists. He has published several articles in local and foreign publications and in websites such as http://www.ezinearticles.com, www.ezinearticles.com and www.writingcareer.com. He is currently running Infomedia Company, a media consulting and information marketing company. Visit his blog at http://sallywantsahusband.blogspot.com
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