Business Storytelling For Dummies

Karen Dietz, Lori L. Silverman

John Wiley & Sons, Nov 22, 2013 - Business & Economics - 384 pages

Ready to hone your storytelling skills and craft a compelling business narrative?

Professionals of all types -- marketing managers, sales reps, senior leaders, supervisors, creatives, account executives -- have to write. Whether you're writing an internal email or a social media post, a video script or a blog post, being able to tell a good story can help ensure your content resonates with your intended audience.

Storytelling is an art, but there’s a method behind it that anyone can learn. Full of practical advice and real-world case studies, Business Storytelling For Dummies is a friendly, no-nonsense guide that will help you tell more engaging stories in your business presentations, internal communications, marketing collateral, and sales assets.

Connecting with customers through storytelling can help you build trust with your audience, strengthen your brand, and increase sales. Look to Business Storytelling For Dummies to

• Learn the elements of storytelling and how to use them effectively
• Become a better listener to become a better storyteller
• Make your stories come to life with relatable details
• Back up your story with data points
• Use the power of storytelling to effect change
• Choose the perfect format to tell your story

Startups, small businesses, creative agencies, non-profits, and enterprises all have a story to tell. Get the book to explore examples, templates, and step-by-step instruction and create your own compelling narrative to tell your story to the world.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• Getting Started with Business Storytelling: 9
• The Why What How and Who of Business Storytelling: 19
• What Makes Business Storytelling Different?: 23
• What Makes a Story: 29
• What Makes a Story a Story: 30
• Stories to Have in Your Hip Pocket: 51
• Future Stories: 61
• Success Stories: 67
• Memorable Customer Stories: 73
• Listening Hearing What Others Have to Say and Capturing: 77
• Moving Stories People to Action Creating: 97
• Moving People to Action Creating: 100
• Polishing a Story Structure and Embellishments: 119
• What to Do About Data: 141
• What to Do About Data Engaging the Brain: 143
• Expanding and Contracting Your Story: 158
• Expanding and Contracting Your Story: 159
• Ask questions and edit: 164
• Sharing Stories for Maximum Value: 179
• Sharing Stories for Maximum Value: 180
• Chapter 11 Moving Stories into Multiple Media: 197
• Incorporating Story in Your Organization: 213
• Incorporate Story in Your Organization: 215
• Hitch story efforts to work processes: 221
• Reward the practice of storytelling: 230
• 177: 233
• Get people committed and on board: 244
• Change stories as organizations mature: 250
• Storytelling in Marketing: 255
• Sharing Stories About Consumers: 261
• Storifying Marketing Materials: 267
• Selling With Stories: 275
• Storytelling While Prospecting: 281
• Asking for the Sale: 289
• Using Stories to Spark Change: 295
• Initiating the Change: 309
• Ten Things You Should Never Ever: 317
• Ten Storytelling Tips for Speakers: 323
• Using Memory Devices: 328
• Ten or so Ways to Measure the Results of a Story Project: 331
• RealLife Stories and a Template: 335
• Index: 346
• Index: 355
• 317: 356
• 333: 358
• 29: 360
• 290: 361
• 197: 362
• 323: 364

About the author

Karen Dietz, PhD, is a 25-year veteran in business storytelling consulting, training, and leadership, and organizational development.

Lori L. Silverman offers business storytelling training, keynotes, and consulting. For 26 years, she's advised enterprises on strategic planning and organizational change.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Business Storytelling For Dummies; --For dummies
• Authors: Karen Dietz, Lori L. Silverman
• Edition: unabridged
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2013
• ISBN: 1118730178, 9781118730171
• Length: 384 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / General; Business & Economics / Small Business; Political Science / Public Affairs & Administration