“Storytelling”: The Buzzword.
"Storytelling" has become a massive buzzword in business, which — as someone who has studied storytelling for 20 years — I find genuinely hilarious.
What people usually mean when they say "you have to reach people through storytelling these days" is something simpler and more honest: you might be more effective if you engage with your audience as fellow humans, rather than as walking dollar signs waiting for the right psychological trigger.
Stories connect people because they draw you in, make you feel something, and — when they're working — hold you captive until you find out what happens.
Either your expectations get subverted and you learn something new about the human experience you can carry with you, or — more common in marketing — you see yourself in the story and feel moved to take an action that seems like it will bring you closer to your own satisfying conclusion. (Usually: yes, opening your wallet.)
This is worth keeping in mind as we move through a world designed to hijack our attention and emotions at every turn.
Storytelling as a tool vs. storytelling as a responsibility
I do think responsible business and responsible marketing should evoke the sense that we're all part of the same community: that we're genuinely looking out for one another.
Storytelling used for the good of the village, not just the brand.
In practice, it more often means finding the emotional lever and pulling it. As a messaging consultant, I am always navigating that tension. I focus on helping clients tap into these tools to help explain something true and authentic to them in a way that will resonate with other people. If it feels icky to me, I won’t do it.
I can't control what other people do. But it's how I choose to operate.
A story is a sacred key. It gives you access to other people's innermost hopes, dreams, fears, and desires.
Wield it responsibly.
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