TED 2: Master the Art of Storytelling
Carry your message in a story with a person, a struggle and a change.
The power of stories to persuade is backed by a meta-analysis; Gallo's specific mix of emotion and logic comes from his analysis of one talk.
Why it works
Stories pull the listener in so they stop arguing and start following. Gallo found top talks lean on story and emotion more than credentials. Business people tend to do the reverse.
How to do it
- Keep three stories ready: yours, someone else's, and a client success.
- Give each a hero, a problem and a change.
- Use real names and places, with permission.
- Tell it in under two minutes.
What to say
When I started, a dealer in Jalgaon told me something I never forgot.
Let me tell you about Sunil, a territory manager we placed in Akola.
Avoid
A story with no point. End by saying in one line what it means for the listener.
Example
At a fertiliser dealers' meet in Jaipur, Kiran told the story of one dealer who doubled sales after hiring a trained field assistant. The room asked more questions about that than about the scheme slides.
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