How Storytelling Helps Us Connect

Why do you think such brands as Coca-Cola, Disney, and Apple continuously use stories in their marketing?  Well, it’s because Stories are powerful tools for connecting people and building relationships.

Want to learn more? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Series: Beginners’ Guide for Small Businesses & Content Creators by Obehi Ewanfoh. Now, let me share something with you.

About the year 1979

What is special about the year 1979? Was it because that was the year the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher became the British prime minister? Could it be because it was the year Nigeria started its second republic (October 1, 1979), following the assassination of the then-military Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed in 1976?

Maybe that is not the case, but I know why 1979 was the best year of my life. I know why. It was a rainy day on Saturday, February 3^rd, 1979, and my mother had just given birth to a bouncing baby boy. I was that baby and here is the story.

Up until that time, or maybe I should say that day, my mother has secretly been praying that she could have a female child to help her out in domestic work because she has had 6 children till that time 5 of them except for her first child being female.

“When you were born,” she told me more than once: “I raised you up to look at the gender, and behold, it was a male child again and then I said, Obehi, Obehioye”. That explains everything my mother had in mind regarding my birth. She had wished for a female child, but it was fate or destiny that the child would be male. That is the meaning of my name, Obehi.

Now that you know the significance and the story behind my name, does it make any difference to you? I leave you to reflect on that. Well, I will tell you what it means for my mother. Anytime she mentioned the name Obehi, she remembers everything relating to my name which is what I just told you.

Embrace your story and keep refining it until it becomes better

Here are some ways you can leverage storytelling to connect in your business:

1. Identify and embrace your story: Your business’ story, and the passion, personality, and human face you can put to it, give you a major advantage over other businesses. And it will help you to better market yourself and what you represent in your business ecosystem.
2. Bring your story to social media: Social media is another great platform for sharing your business’ story and connecting with customers. So, learn to use it to your best advantage while adding value to your audience.
3. Invite your customers to become a part of your story: Encourage your customers to share their own stories and experiences with your business.
4. Use storytelling in digital marketing: Storytelling can help you connect with your target audience and differentiate your brand from competitors.
5. Test and optimize your story based on feedback, data, and results: The final step in leveraging storytelling is to test and optimize your story based on feedback, data, and results.

All these tips can turn storytelling into a powerful tool for small businesses to connect with their customers and build relationships. Here are some reasons why you should start leveraging storytelling in your small business and I would like to do that by reading a piece from my book. So, pay attention:

Reading from the book

“This is a short clip from the third book of The Storytelling Series. The book is titled (WIN HEARTS & MINDS AND GET RESULTS With The 5 Essential Elements Of Storytelling) It’s available on Amazon and I am going to read from a subtopic: Tell stories that Win Hearts & Minds

As you will understand from the pages of this book, telling stories that win hearts and minds is both an art and a science. Therefore, you need to look at it that way: as an art and as much as a science. To learn more about the science of storytelling, you need to reconsider the first book in this series, “Storytelling Basics”, where that was thoroughly explained.

Now, here are some tips to help you craft stories that truly connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression on them. Here they are:

1. Know your audience – Before you start telling your story, take the time to understand who your audience is and what they care about. This will help you tailor your story to their interests and values.
2. Choose the right story – Not all stories are created equal. Choose a story that is relevant, compelling, and has a clear message that resonates with your audience.
3. Start with a hook – It’s always a good idea to grab your audience’s attention right from the start with a powerful opening that sets the tone for your story. That will help create anticipation for what is to come.
4. Use sensory details – Help your audience visualize your story by incorporating sensory details that create vivid images in their minds.
5. Show don’t tell – Rather than telling your audience what happened, show them through dialogue, action, and description. This will make your story more engaging and memorable.
6. Use emotion – Do you want to win your audience’s hearts and minds? Be aware that stories that evoke strong emotions are more likely to stick in people’s minds. Whether it’s humor, sadness, or joy, find ways to incorporate emotions into your story.
7. End with a strong message – Make sure your story has a clear takeaway message that ties back to your audience’s interests and values. This will help your story stick in their minds long after it’s over.

By following these tips, you can craft stories that not only entertain but also win hearts and minds by creating a connection with your audience and leaving a lasting impression. That is the true intention of this book.

5 ways Storytelling Helps Us Connect in Businesses

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help businesses connect with their audiences on a deeper level. Here are five ways storytelling aids in fostering connections within the business context:

1. Emotional Engagement: Stories can evoke emotions, and emotions are key to forming strong connections. When businesses tell stories that resonate with their audience’s emotions, whether it’s through overcoming challenges, personal experiences, or relatable situations, they create a bond that goes beyond a transactional relationship.
2. Relatability and Empathy: A well-crafted story can make a business more relatable and human. Sharing stories of struggles, failures, or even personal growth humanizes the business, making it easier for customers, employees, and stakeholders to relate to and empathize with the brand.
3. Building Trust and Credibility: Stories that highlight a business’s journey, values, and successes can establish credibility and trust. When people see the genuine efforts, hardships, and triumphs a business has gone through, they’re more likely to trust its intentions and offerings.
4. Clarifying Complex Ideas: Storytelling can simplify complex concepts. Businesses often deal with intricate products or services, and using stories to explain these concepts can make them more accessible to a broader audience. Stories break down barriers to understanding and enable more effective communication.
5. Creating a Sense of Community: Storytelling can foster a sense of belonging and community. When businesses share stories that reflect the values and aspirations of their target audience, they invite people to be part of a shared narrative. This sense of belonging can lead to stronger connections and brand loyalty.

Incorporating storytelling into various aspects of a business, such as marketing campaigns, internal communications, and even company culture initiatives, can help cultivate meaningful connections that go beyond mere transactions. By leveraging the emotional power of storytelling, businesses can enhance their relationships with customers, employees, partners, and the broader community.

Conclusion on How Storytelling Helps Us Connect

In the business environment, storytelling holds a powerful force that transcends the boundaries of commerce. Through its ability to evoke emotions, foster relatability, build trust, simplify complexity, and forge a sense of community, storytelling becomes a bridge that connects businesses with their audiences on a profoundly human level.

By harnessing the narrative thread, businesses can weave connections that endure, transforming mere transactions into enduring relationships enriched by shared experiences and aspirations.

Want to learn more? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Series.