Strategic storytelling: how to combine all the models

[ashammi244]

The first episode (Intro to Storytelling) is here .
The second episode (Campbell, Vogler and the classic Hero's Journey) is here .
The third episode (Strategic Storytelling - the meeting point of business and stories) is here .
The principles and elements you'll see come from Miller's "hero's journey" model (Storynomics), and have been heavily influenced by Andy Raskin's work. The framework includes three stages, which must be completed to build the full narrative.

strategic storytelling
The Strategic Storytelling Model
Stage 1 - Strategic storytelling objectives
Defining your storytelling objective is the first step in our usages of car owner database framework. You will need to define:

The target audience . This is your audience. Although it would be ideal to have a storytelling for each audience, you can target several, as we will see in the next episode.
The needs of the public . It is the problem and the pain of the buyer. It is the hidden problem that cries out for a solution.
Audience actions (goals) – This is the end result. The action you want your audience to take. If you’re telling a story to a B2B audience, you might want the buyer to contact you, request a demo, attend a new meeting, or sign a contract. If you’re telling a story to a B2C audience, you might want the buyer to purchase an over-the-counter item or shop at your online store.
Stage 2 - Story Elements
Preparing the story topic requires taking three major steps:

discover core values;
define the hero and the mentor;
define the change vs. the problem.
Discovering the core values
Core values ​​are linked to the target audience needs outlined in Stage 1. The story should be in line with the brand’s core values. Story scenarios may not be related to the product being sold, as long as the core value aligns with the brand promise. For example, Redbull’s value is to energize sports lovers (which is Redbull’s brand promise); extreme sports stories share the same brand value.

Change vs. the problem
You shouldn't start your storytelling with "the problem." When you state that your potential customers have a problem, you often run the risk of putting them on the defensive. Plus, your audience may not know the problem or may feel uncomfortable admitting that they have it.

Instead, opt for change . When you highlight a change, you get potential customers to open up about how that change affects them, how it scares them, and where they see opportunities. Most importantly, you grab their attention.

The hero and the mentor
Your company is not the protagonist of the story. The customer is. The hero is the potential customer. So, never start any storytelling, sales email or presentation, by talking about your brand, your product, your headquarters location, your investors, your customers or anything about yourself. You are the mentor, and your job is to guide the hero to the final reward.

Stage 3 - Designing the story
Strategic storytelling
Strategic storytelling - Story design
The story design is a simplified summary of the different frameworks presented in the previous episode, although this model was especially inspired by Andy Raskin's work. We considered the following means of presenting the story:

a sales or strategy package;
an interactive experience;
an email/LinkedIn post;
your web pages.
The first step of the journey. The ordinary world and change
As we’ve seen, you should never start a sales pitch or story by talking about your product, your headquarters location, your investors, your customers, or anything related to your brand. Instead, name a change in the world that creates great risk or urgency for your prospect (we’ve seen how change is a crucial key element of storytelling).

Andy Raskin often calls this phase “Old Game vs. New Game.” The winners are already playing the new game. To drive buyer urgency, you need to show that the winners are already playing it. This means citing winners with more resources than your target audience or pointing out winners in other areas.

Helping customers win the new game is the reason for your company and your products. A category narrative has no value unless it is the driving force of your company, your culture, and your products. When you talk about the product, in particular, do so only in the context of how it helps people win the new game.