Telling a captivating story is hard. I’m right there with you.
But what if you could learn from the world’s best storytellers?
You know, great storytellers in business. Those storytellers who reach millions of people and do it over and over again. Like TED and Pixar.
Fortunately, you can. In this Chapter, you get all the resources you could ever dream of.
1. How Pixar crafts wildly successful stories with this timeless formula
Want to learn what it takes to create stories like Finding Nemo and Toy Story? Pixar shares their best storytelling techniques in this free online course.
Pixar story rules (The Pixar Touch)
Want 22 story rules Pixar use to create their stories? Here you go.
The Clues to a Great Story – Andrew Stanton (TED)
Andrew Stanton worked on films like Toy Story. In this video, he shares some of his best tips and ideas.
2. Why TED talks get millions of shares – it’s all thanks to the structure of story
The Secret Structure of Great Talks – Nancy Duarte (TED)
Nancy Duarte is an expert on persuasive presentations. Here she shares what it takes to give a great talk (like Steve Jobs did). These are rules you can use to tell a compelling story for your business.
Carmine Gallo: The Storytellers Secret (Talks at Google)
Carmine Gallo (author of “Talk Like Ted”) shares a storytelling formula that people like Sheryl Sandberg and Bryan Stevenson use to give TED talks that get viewed and shared by millions.
3. The world’s greatest entrepreneurs share their storytelling secrets
Storytelling is as old as the campfire – Richard Branson (Virgin)
Richard Branson shares why he thinks storytelling is so important for entrepreneurs. Tip: Virgin has a storytelling theme page, which you can explore here.
Ode: How to tell a great story – Seth Godin
This is a short post, but extremely insightful. If you want to get clear on how to create a great story, this is for you.
Oprah Winfrey Discusses the Art of Storytelling and Greenleaf (The Grapevine)
Oprah Winfrey is obviously one of the best storytellers in the business world (or she wouldn’t be one of the wealthiest self-made people on the planet). In this short video, she shares important insights… For example, what keeps people coming back.
Walt Disney’s Storytelling Secrets – Storytelling School (TEDEd)
How did Disney get people to watch animations? How did they create epic stories like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”? Watch this clip to find out (tip: there are 2 things you need to know).
4. Mesmerize your audience with irresistible storytelling – learn from some of the best storytellers
What’s the Most Important Element of a Good Story? (The Atlantic)
If you want to learn storytelling from people like Beau Willimon (writer and producer, House of Cards) and Michael Eisner (former CEO of Disney), this is your chance.
Storytelling Tips from Obama’s Speechwriter, Unpacked (Steve Seager)
Here, one of President Obama’s main speechwriters shares the five rules of storytelling. Want to learn how stories can persuade people? Click to read.
Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories
Kurt Vonnegut talks about the persuasive story pattern we talked about in Chapter 2. Learn from the master himself.
5. This is what you need to do to tell a powerful business story that wows your customers
Start with why — how great leaders inspire action – Simon Sinek (TEDxPugetSound)
In this video, Simon Sinek discusses his “Start with why” formula. How do you craft your own “why”? Watch the video.
6 Enemies of Clarity in Your Business Storytelling Efforts (Content Marketing Institute)
To be engaging, your story MUST be clear. How? These 6 business storytelling tips help you clarify your business story.
Go Beyond Blogging: How to Become a Great Storyteller (HubSpot)
In this article, HubSpot shares how you can use storytelling in your inbound marketing. Want to use stories in your marketing material? Read this.
6. Lessons from great storytellers in business (Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and Stanford Graduate Business School)
“Storytelling That Moves People” (Bronwyn Fryer, HBR)
A concise article on business storytelling – what it is and isn’t.
“The Power of Story” (Jennifer Aaker, Stanford Graduate Business School)
Jennifer Aaker is a marketing professor at Stanford Graduate Business School. Here, she talks about storytelling research and how to apply it to your own story.
The Science of Storytelling & Memory and Their Impact on CRO (Ankit Oberoi, Conversion XL)
How do you best use storytelling? Read this article to find out.
“Six Characteristics of Highly Persuasive Stories” (Roger Dooley, Neuromarketing)
An article on how storytelling is used to persuade in the courtroom and how you can use it in your marketing.
“Your Brain on Fiction” (Annie Murphy Paul, The New York Times)
Research on how storytelling can be invoked with a subtle change of words.
“How to Tell a Great Story” (Carolyn O’Hara, HBR)
What are the components of a great story (that all history’s greatest storytellers use)? Here’s what you need to know.
7. Business storytelling books you need to read
The Hero with a Thousand Faces – Joseph Campbell (New World Library, 1949)
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – Chip & Dan Heath (Random House, 2006)
Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell – and Live – the Best Stories Will Rule the Future – Jonah Sachs (Harvard Business School Publishing, 2012)
The Storyteller’s Secret: From Ted Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch on and Others Don’t – Carmine Gallo (St Martins Pr Inc, 2016)
Contagious: Why Things Catch On – Jonah Berger (Simon & Schuster, 2016)
Now:
Want to know how other successful businesses use these same storytelling techniques as great storytellers in business? In Chapter 7, we look at inspirational business storytelling examples.
