If, like me, you were wondering just how much impact June Dally Watkins could have on my friend, Steve Crombie’s table manners, then you may want to tune in this month to watch his transformation. As part of #movember, Steve is seeking to release his inner gentleman. Let’s hope he does it with style.
Infographics can be fascinating. Done well, they can tell a compelling story, bringing data to life in completely new ways. But they can also be bland. Boring. Or worse – irrelevant.
Now, I have created a few infographics:
And while these have had between 1000 and 5000 views, they clearly could be better. And now, with this guide from Eloqua, maybe they will be. My first focus – “think ‘data narrative’”.
But what about you? Have you created an infographic (or 10)? What have you learned? What works? And which one is your favourite?
Let me tell you a secret.
It’s just for you.
Today.
I think you’re really going to like it.
This idea.
Concept.
Innovation in marketing practice.
In fact, better yet, read on. Read this. Buy it
*****
Did you see what I did there?
Sally Hogshead, author of Fascinate, describes seven triggers that we can (and should) tap into to help us tell stories and engage our audiences. They allow us to go beyond the simple concept of “personal branding” – to a deeper, more authentic place.
The seven triggers can be woven into our stories and drive a response from our audiences.
Sally is presenting at the Content Marketing World conference, and thanks to Nate Riggs, we can see and hear a little of what she has to say. But don’t just watch this – think about what you can do today to impact your work. How can you put the power of storytelling to work? Which triggers can and will you use (and why).
I like this better than my own P-L-A-Y framework – or perhaps, in practice, I can see ways of extending that framework in new ways. I’ll let you know what I find out after a few experiments. But in the meantime, let me know how this works for you. Does it fascinate you and your team? What about your clients or customers? For it seems that telling the story of telling the story is, itself, one of the many ways to fascinate. Get to it!
Sally Hogshead Live at Content Marketing World from Nate Riggs on Vimeo.
When I studied theatre I loved producing what we then called a “multimedia” production – the type that literally included multiple media mixed in amongst performance.
Intellectually I was working with “intertextuality” and experimenting with the points of intersection between these different texts (this was back when we talked about everything being a “text” that was “read”). But emotionally I was experimenting with layered storytelling – presenting one point of view, accentuating or limiting that point of view through performance, voice and body – and then challenging all that with visuals – usually in the form of slides or sometimes video projection.
It was a lot of fun and hugely challenging.
And this is what good advertising does too. It tells stories on different levels. It allows us to connect these stories, flattering us in the process. It can say one thing and mean another – all the while giving us a sly wink and a nudge.
Unfortunately most advertising is one dimensional. It pokes at us. Interrupts us. Irritates. As does a lot of branded social media. It’s about time we saw some sophistication in the planning and strategy of advertising and social media (ideally together). It really is.
And don’t blame the dog, we all know who is responsible.
If you have not subscribed to Mike Arauz’s blog, then remedy this quick smart! Dig back through his writing and plunder his brilliant ideas and analysis. I am sure you will find more than one or two things you can use to dazzle your boss or your clients.
But while you are doing this plundering, put your headphones on and listen in on Mike’s great presentation from the Next Conference. It’s the perfect way to round out your week!
When it comes to business communication, I have seen it all. I have written speeches for CEOs, developed product and service brochures, come up with copy for ads, websites, and jingles – and everything in between.
But some of the things that made me successful as a business communicator and copywriter were the things that prevented me from communicating well in social media. Even after some considerable time using social media, I found it easy to slip into a more formal business style for communicating.
Fundamentally there is a dividing line between writing in the voice of the brand and writing in the voice of the customer. I call this the “mirror of intent” – for your communication can go either way. Do you want authority or do you want authenticity? When you know which side of the mirror you stand, you can adjust your style accordingly. But be warned – both approaches are valid for different types of communication. And both take practice and discipline.
The graphic below explains five ways you can deliver on your intent.
These are my observations and were inspired by discussions with the wise and articulate community evangelist, Marilyn Pratt – but perhaps there is something I have missed. Share your experience by leaving a comment!
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece for MarketingProfs – Google Gets Emotional When Telling Stories … And So Can You. It showcases a video for Google’s Chrome web browser and talks not about the technology but about the emotional impact of that technology on our lives. It’s a great piece – check it out.
But can you apply the same storytelling approach to other sectors? Of course! Ann Handley shares this great brand story from the non profit sector.
A Love Story… In Milk from Catsnake on Vimeo.
A little something I put together a while back. I’m sure I shared it with you, but will do so again. Let me know what you think!
Not a bad piece of animated infographia from the Post Carbon Institute. Good to see a broader range of complex stories being communicated this way.
If you are like me, you can tell from the first line of a book whether you think it will capture you. Peter Guber’s Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story
Peppered with personal anecdotes, this book is all about the art of storytelling, for business. It starts with a failure – Guber’s own – where his pitch to the Mayor of Las Vegas falls short and he is reminded that there is only one chance to make a positive first impression. From this dramatic and embarrassing start, Guber takes us through his personal history, showing how storytelling underpinned his successes – and how a lack of storytelling ensured his failures. Along the way, there are quotes and examples from writers, doctors and business people of all persuasion.
For some readers, there won’t be enough detail in this book. Guber doesn’t dive deep into the research. But he does demonstrate precisely why and how the power of a good story wins out anyway – his own narrative uses facts to illustrate his points, but they never overwhelm. They never distract.
While reading, I was constantly reminded of the best TED talks. I was reminded of the way that these great business leaders would engage us deeply with an issue that was dear to their hearts. They would make us laugh and make us cry. Not with the bald facts – which were often heartbreaking – but with the stories that show the human impact of those facts. Peter Guber’s book explains how these style of stories are crafted – how they are hung together. Then it’s up to you to give it a try.
To be honest, telling a story is scary. We can all hide behind the facts and the figures, but a story has a personal dimension. You tell it at a personal cost – and live or die (win or lose your pitch) by the story’s sword. My own experience is the same – where I have trusted in the story, I have succeeded. And where I doubted my story and pushed the facts, I lost. Reading this book, has in a way, reaffirmed for me the primacy of story. And that too is a success.
The publisher of Tell to Win sent me an extra copy of this book to review. This could be yours. Tell me your best business story in the comments below – or email me. The best story (in my opinion) will win a copy of the book. You’ve got until Wednesday at midnight (Sydney time).
Oh, and if you can’t wait, order a copy at Amazon
And you can visit Peter Guber’s website here.