The Power Of A Good Story

By Lauren Regan.

Recently, someone told me that I 'told too many stories', and while it was meant as an insult, it made me think about some of the best moments I've had with family and friends. The times when their eyes lit up as they recounted a story from their recent vacation, their smiles at something fun that their pet has done, or anger at a work colleague, I remember every one of them. If they had simply told me where they went on holiday, the name of their pet, or who sent the offending email, these details would easily have been forgotten in the busyness of life, but by putting these specifics into a narrative, we carry them with us. We become part of the story, connect on a deeper level with the people around us, and remember how they made us feel.

Since the beginning of time, we've been telling each other stories – we told each other where to gather the best foods, how to build better shelter, and where to find water. Stories have always been a way of sharing valuable information, but more than that, we have used them as a tool to connect with those around us in a meaningful and human way. Our brains are hardwired to remember a good story; you can shout about all of the brilliant stats, data, or facts in the world, but this isn't how humans naturally want to communicate with each other. It is much easier for our brains to make sense of abstract information if it is framed in the context of a narrative, and if we understand the information that is being shared, we are more likely to remember it and share it with others.

That's all down to biology; the neocortex is the outer layer of your brain that processes our thoughts, senses, and decisions, and neuroscientists suggest that it does this through recalling sequences and patterns. Basically, it is putting together a story of how it thinks things are going to go. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman hypothesises that "[By] Using experience as a guide, the brain prepares multiple competing simulations that answer the question, 'What is this new sensory input most similar to?'" When you are out in the world, listen to how people interact with each other every day, in cafes, at the bus stop, and around the dinner table – we are always telling each other stories. We talk about who went where, with who, and to what; we gossip, and that isn't always a bad thing, according to evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar. Dunbar thinks of it as speaking about someone who is not in the conversation and that this kind of "gossip" doesn't have to be negative.

But what has this got to do with your brand story? Think about some of the biggest brands in the world and how they communicate what they are selling. When the iPod was launched, Apple didn't tell us that it weighed 6.5 ounces, had voluminous capacity, long battery life, and lightning-fast transfer speeds; it told us that you could have 1000 songs in your pocket. Likewise, Harley Davidson talks about the feeling you get on the open road, the spirit of adventure, and the freedom you get driving one of their bikes, not the horsepower or the fuel efficiency metrics. Storytelling isn't gimmicky or altering the truth; it is a creative way of reframing your product or service into something your audience understands and can resonate with.

Your brand is so much more than its visual representation – it is what people say about you when you are not in the room. The building blocks of your brand story are a combination of:

Your purpose – what is your why? What hole would there be in the world without your business in it?

Your proposition – what physical product or service do your customers get?

Your personality – how do you speak to your audience? What kind of language do you use? Are you quirky, serious, knowledgeable, bold?

All this said, you can have crafted the best narrative in the world, but it isn't going to land if the other person isn't listening, so take time to get to know the people that you are talking to and help them understand how your stories fit together. You don't have to be everything to everyone at all times; strategic storytelling puts the consumer at the heart of the tale, and a skilled storyteller puts the listener or reader at the heart of the story; they know what emotions to provoke and which specific details will pique an audience's interest. Remember, it takes two parties to tell a great story.

Once you have established what you want to say, content creation for websites, social media pages, or e.newsletter will become much easier and less time-consuming. With each piece of content you create, consider whether it is moving your story along, and if not, ditch it. Confident storytellers speak when they have something to say; they thrive in the quieter moments and know that their audience is hanging on their every word to find out what comes next. Taking the time to understand your story doesn't just help your customers; it also empowers your internal stakeholders to be proud of the part that they have to play and supports teams to thrive and push towards a collective vision.

In short, never stop telling stories, they bring people together.

Lauren Regan is the founder and creative director of MOLE, a brand storytelling and PR consultancy.

Crafting a meaningful brand story is within reach for every organisation. MOLE works with businesses in the UK and Canada to find their voice, tell their stories, and shape their future. To speak to Lauren about your organisations ambitions, reach out on [email protected]