Storytelling - The Great Motivator of People
In a data-driven world, facts and figures are the order of the
day in sales calls, employee meetings, board rooms, and
political assemblies. Traditionally, when a person is trying to
convince someone else to do something they use the logic of
benefits and features - long the sacred domain of anyone in
sales.
And they are missing the boat.
What truly moves us as human beings, what prompts us into
action, is emotion. Imagination is the conduit of emotion and
well-crafted storytelling carries the imagination.
Consider this story:
You place your hand on top of your head, only to feel the sun
radiate from your scalp. Sweat trickles down your back and the
once ironed shirt clings to your sides. The pavement roasts your
feet even through your thick-soled shoes. You've been walking
for a 45 minutes, trying to find the office where you are
scheduled to make a sales call. Suddenly, a swoosh of cold air
swirls at your side as a young couple comes charging out of an
ice cream parlor, licking swirls of raspberry and vanilla
perched in a sugar cone