Business of Story

In order to become the best leader you can be, it's critical to give your team a call to something bigger. The best leaders can tap into the audience's core values and inspire action, and spark a strong purpose in the community. But what if you have difficulty forming that intimate connection with members of your team? The answer, of course, is to find your story. Our episode this week is about us...

Have you ever felt the terror of being totally lost? In business, we prepare for everyday problems and stick to our established plan. But when the unexpected happens and our existence is threatened, we panic; we either fight a losing battle, retreat as fast as possible, or stop altogether in shock. This Fight, Flight or Freeze thought process is a natural survival instinct, but often it can be the...

Our goal with Business of Story is to help you create your brand, and in the process, we have fine-tuned our own story crafting procedure. The workbook is a wonderful developmental tool, but not everyone has a clear idea of what that program is. That's why today I'm going to work with a listener like you to demonstrate the ten step story cycle in action. For the past 97 episodes, we have brought y...

Most people believe that the best product wins. That used to be true when consumers had fewer choices. But today we have abundant competing products and services. Therefore, defining a new and unique category for your offering is what will separate you from your competition and insure your survival. Christopher Lochhead ,  host of the Legends & Losers podcast  and author of the irreverent marketin...

It's not too difficult to get your story out there. There are myriad social media platforms that streamline your content creation process. But, w ith hordes of videos, blogs, tweets, Snapchats, Instagrams and updates added constantly, it's difficult for your message to reach the surface in this sea of content.  What can a brand do to stand out? What are the secrets to finding your way into the liv...

What if I were to tell you that the most crucial aspect of a successful business was not actually profit gain? Would you be willing to believe that a key ingredient in a booming, high-profit organization was generosity? We at the Business of Story typically focus on the story aspect of brand marketing strategy. Today we're focusing on the business side. In the past, marketing and advertising were...

There are dozens of crucial factors to think about when talking to your audience. Anything and everything in your message should be carefully considered. However, almost nothing in the world of story branding is more important, and more overlooked than genuine connection. This fact is nowhere as clear as in the case of  Pepsi's infamous ad . Millions of dollars invested, a world-famous star, a pos...

What do you think is the most valuable survival tool in an arctic expedition? A nice winter coat? Snowshoes? Warm hat? For a 900 mile trek through one of the most dangerous places on earth, over hidden crevasses, calving glaciers, and frozen landscapes, one of the most critical tools is the ability to communicate the right story . Joining us on this edition of Business of Story is adventurer  Robe...

The world of brand marketing is changing rapidly. Ad campaigns don't work like they used to. Because brands are no longer the storytellers. They're the story makers handing their stories to their customers in hopes they'll share it with their world. Smart brands are focused on making movements, like REI's #OptOutside effort. Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign. Or Heineken's recent "Open Your World" wor...

How would you go about creating a brand story for a person? Would you be able to sell an individual's personal story or even your own? We at Business of Story focus on teaching storytelling and branding techniques for media marketers, advertisers, nonprofits, and other business-oriented organizations and leaders.  Today we ask you to think of another area you can improve upon with a little bit of...

In March, The Virgin Group honored storytelling month on its website because Richard Branson believes that the strength and ability to tell stories effectively drives performance in business.  Branson is just one business leader who has tapped into the ancient craft of storytelling to drive performance and mold the behaviors that construct the culture within many of his booming companies.  Another...

Your customers don't want to hear about what you make. They want a story about what you make happen. That's why Robert Rose urges you to transform your marketing department into a storytelling department. Turn your adverbs and adjectives into adventures in your story marketing to move your audiences to action.   Our guest today has us covered i n storytelling from music to Hollywood to creating st...

One thing we can all agree on is that the digital world is a dynamic place to tell our stories.  Never in the history of advertising and marketing have brand storytellers like you had more ways to share your messages.  But these days it seems nearly impossible to cut through the clutter, and that's why there's a gathering every year in San Diego with the top social media experts to help you figure...

On this  show, we' ll cover how data-driven campaigns are killing the Democratic Party and how you can keep it from happening to your brand. Joining us is a  highly decorated thirty-year veteran of the direct mail industry who has worked solel y with the Democratic Party, Dave Gold . Dave is the founding partner of Bouchard Gol d Communic ations. His clients have included Senator Joe Biden, Govern...

Today we are investigating how you can use story marketing to turn a commodity into commotion. We're talking about elevating a fairly banal item, like socks, into a meaningful and sought after experience—all through the brand stories you share! I know it sounds crazy, but socks are a $6 billion global industry. Imagine the market share you might carve out simply by disrupting the norm with story? ...

Joel Capperella joins us on Business of Story; and today, we talk about why you must recognize and tap into the dramatic nature of what's actually happening in your sales conversions, the journey your customer's on, and what stories they're telling themselves about you at that moment. We're also going to look at the most powerful word in storytelling, and that word is 'why.' That's all about the p...

We've all found ourselves in situations where we are at odds with  an audience. For example, t rying to launch an internal initiative in a c orporate  environment to a reluctant CEO.    Persuading someone to change an unhealthy  behavior. Or getting someone with an opposite view to  open  up and see things your way. On today's Business of Story, we review th e  importance of finding common ground...

With the always-on interwebs, I believe that ADHD is now a communicable disease. And, guess what? We are all the viruses. So, how do you get your brand story to rise above the noise and allow it the opportunity to be heard? Well, we'll look at one way to do that. On today's show, we're going to explore the concepts of irony and juxtaposition in your business stories to help them stand out—to help...

It's often thought that keeping a business's focus more general is a positive way to stay open to more business. But in reality, generalizing actually weakens your brand story. Learning how to be super focused and specific in your brand story's unique offering will help strengthen your messaging, grow your business, and bring success to your brand. Today's guest will help you focus your brand stor...

When creating presentations to communicate data within your organization, it can be tempting to focus on just the data and perhaps try and fit too much into one talk. But learning how to trim down to one central theme and use genuine stories is critical to a successful presentation of data, as this narrative will help you connect with your audience and get your message heard. Today's guest got his...

Joel Bach, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Years Living Dangerously , joins the Business of Story Podcast to talk about documentary filmmaking, great characters, and how to call audiences to action through compelling stories. The Business of Story is sponsored by Emma, Convince & Convert. Emma helps marketers everywhere send smart, stylish email newsletters, promotions, and automated campaign...

Janine Kurnoff, Founder of The Presentation Company, joins the Business of Story Podcast to discuss how to build your storytelling muscle, four primary story elements to add to every presentation, and a step-by-step process to engage your audience.   The Business of Story is sponsored by Emma, Convince & Convert, and Oracle. Emma helps marketers everywhere send smart, stylish email newsletters, pr...

Nick Gray, Founder of Museum Hack, joins the Business of Story Podcast to discuss the three 'G's he uses to measure success, how to connect with millennials, and how to use story to brighten your customer's experience. The Business of Story is sponsored by Emma, Convince & Convert, and Oracle. Emma helps marketers everywhere send smart, stylish email newsletters, promotions, and automated campaign...

Gabriella Mirabelli, Founder of Anatomy Media, joins the Business of Story Podcast to talk about media trends today, the shift in younger generations, and why story always matters. The Business of Story is sponsored by Emma, Convince & Convert, and Oracle. Emma helps marketers everywhere send smart, stylish email newsletters, promotions, and automated campaigns, and help us all rest a little easie...

Julian Mather, Founder of Tailor Made Career, joins the Business of Story Podcast to discuss three-act structure, how he went from sniper to filmmaker, and shares tips on how to get great video with your smartphone.   The Business of Story is sponsored by Emma, Convince & Convert, and Oracle. Emma helps marketers everywhere send smart, stylish email newsletters, promotions, and automated campaigns...