We Tell Stories. This is Why.

Stories build a picture in our minds, they connect facts to characters so we remember them, and they include the reader into something bigger than themself. Stories do it all. Are you using them effectively in your business?

As a former journalist I see life a little differently than most. I perceive it all as stories. I don't look at any one person, place, business, or thing and accept its current state as the entire picture. I know there's more. I reach back for history and context to better understand the current situation, and I project to the future to see what could be at a later date. There's always a story, and understanding it helps us operate on a higher level.

Perceiving life as a conglomeration of stories has helped me tremendously as a husband and father, as a friend, and a church member/leader.

As a marketer, this skill is invaluable. Research continues to show that storytelling is the most effective way to connect to all types of learners, stories stick in their memories because the details are tied to characters, and stories help build familiarity and trust. (Drawn from "What Makes Storytelling So Effective for Learning?")

Whether you're selling something new or something old, you're trying to improve the public perception of a figure or business, or you're simply trying to grow an organization that is already functioning well, storytelling is the tool that can achieve your objective.

Kendall Haven has written two books on the neuroscience behind story and why it's so powerful. The more he learns about how the human brain work, the more he's convinced that storytelling is the most powerful tool available for influencing learners and consumers.

"Your goal in every communication is to influence your target audience (change their current attitudes, belief, knowledge, and behavior). Information alone rarely changes any of these. Research confirms that well-designed stories are the most effective vehicle for exerting influence." -Kendall Haven

I'm not a neuroscientist. I'm a creator who understands that every teaching and learning moment is more powerful with a story. At CSC we've been telling stories to promote businesses, churches, educational systems, and non-profits for more than 10 years, and the success we've seen is the reason we're still going and growing. It's all about the story.