How do entrepreneurs and startups tell better stories to engage, educate and entertainment customers. This workshop offers insight and exercises to create stories that make a difference.
12. It’s Not About the Product
Always Be Storytelling
Always be Story-hunting
Establish Your Core Story
13. “Airbnb believes in the power of storytelling
because when people share stories…..they start
caring more about each other and something
magical can happen.”
- Venetia Pristavec
14. “Capturing life’s most exciting
moments, and sharing them
with others.” – Suzanne Watson
15. It’s Not About the Product
Always Be Storytelling
Always be Story-hunting
Establish Your Core Story
24. It’s Not About the Product
Always Be Storytelling
Always be Story-hunting
Establish Your Core Story
25. Four Easy Story Themes
Stories
about how
you started
Stories
about your
challenges,
successes
Stories about
the world
around you
Stories
about your
customers’
success
33. A value proposition is a statement of
unique benefits (and value) delivered by
your product to target customers
34. Value Propositions Questions
• What is your product?
• What problem are you solving?
• Who is the target audience?
• What is the value of your product?
• How is your product unique, different or better?
35.
36. Square lets you run your business
anywhere. We make it easy for anyone to
accept credit cards so they can start
selling today.
37.
38. Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By
seamlessly connecting riders to drivers
through our apps, we open more possibilities
for riders and more business for drivers.
39.
40. Your everyday simplified. Seamlessly unlock
devices, remember passwords and more,
using your heart's unique signature.
41. Exercise
Create your value proposition, which could
include:
• What your product does
• The value/benefits delivered
• Who’s the target audience?
46. Exercise
Create your myth story. It could include:
• Your mission, vision or purpose
• Your humble beginnings
• Your lucky break
47. Storytelling Themes
• The inspiration for your startup
• The problem you wanted to solve and
why
• The challenges of the journey
• A story about your success
51. Exercise: The Customer
Create a story about one of your customers:
• How did they discover your product?
• What is interesting about how they are using
it?
• What is the benefit or value being delivered?
53. The Media
• Overworked
creating articles,
blogs, podcasts,
video, social media
• Overflowing
inboxes
• Overwhelmed with
story pitches from
desperate startups
61. Exercise
Based on the storytelling hooks or themes,
create two pitches to a reporter or blogger that
includes the following:
- Your hook – e.g. how are you new, different,
better or part of a trend
- Their interests and focus
- Why it’s relevant, topical or timely
62. Success
Innovative/New
Different
Be part of a
bigger story
Creativity
Timing is
Everything
Stories
about how
you started
Stories
about your
progress
Stories
your
industry
Stories
about your
customers’
success
64. Prioritize Your Storytelling
Key questions:
1. How do our customers make buying
decisions?
2. Where do they research and get information?
3. What resources do we have available?
(People, time, money)
65. Stories to Tell Now Stories to Tell LaterStories to Tell Soon
• Blog
• Newsletter
• Speaking
• Website
• Infographic
• eBooks
• Video
• Webinars
• Demos
• Podcasts
66. Stories to Tell Now Stories to Tell LaterStories to Tell Soon
Exercise: Establishing Priorities
I have been telling stories for entire professional career.
I have always believed that stories and content are king.
Why are you here tonight? Why do you think storytelling is important?
Take turns sharing the story behind a personal artifact that you have on you today (article of clothing, accessory, jewelry, photograph on your phone, something in your pocket or purse, etc.). Help your partner by asking follow up questions to dig deeper into the story.
People spend most of their conversations telling personal stories and gossiping. A 1997 study by anthropologist and evolutionary biologist Robin Dunbar, then at the University of Liverpool in England, found that social topics accounted for 65% of speaking time among people in public places.
Research by the London School of Economics suggests retention is 60% to 65% when information is presented in a story vs. 5% to 10% when presented via facts.
The problem is brands, particularly startups, are terrible storytellers.
They love their products. They loves their platform. They love features.
They don’t tell stories.
Build it, and they will (hopefully) come.
But storytelling has never been more important.
Think about how much information and content we’re consuming and processing every day
Think about how smartphones make it so easy to consume at all times – waiting in lineups, in bed, etc.
Here’s the thing: people make decisions powered by empowered. It is the way our brains our wired.
Good stories driven emotional connection. They establish a powerful relationship.
It’s about their needs, goals, interests, aspirations, points of pain, problems – not about you and what you want to tell the world.
Forget Hotels
Travel like a human
The company was founded by Nick Woodman in 2002 after a surf trip to Australia where he was hoping to capture high-quality photos of his surfing.
Woodman initially raised a portion of the money for his company by selling bead and shell belts for under US $20 out of his VW van.
It’s about their needs, goals, interests, aspirations, points of pain, problems – not about you and what you want to tell the world.
It’s about their needs, goals, interests, aspirations, points of pain, problems – not about you and what you want to tell the world.
It’s about their needs, goals, interests, aspirations, points of pain, problems – not about you and what you want to tell the world.
My secret weapon – the notepad.
James Buckhouse – former creative director with Twitter, now working with Sequoia
Simple, memorable, short
Steven Ells attended the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, he worked as a sous chef at Stars Restaurant before leaving to launch Chipotle in 1993. Then 28, Ells created Chipotle to help him fund a fine-dining restaurant he had dreamed of. The restaurant quickly gained traction with it’s fast yet quality food service and began to gain a cult following.
https://www.fundable.com/learn/startup-stories/chipotle
Flybits is a client that has a platform that puts mobile apps on steroids by creating personalized experiences.
It’s an innovative platform but people don’t get what Flybits does until they start telling stories about how it’s used.