What's your Story? How Storytelling Can Help Increase End Of Year Giving

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December 4, 2017 |

By: Henry Mortimer  

Storytelling is the oldest form of communication in the world: humans are wired for it. Telling stories about how you shaped your thinking and way of life can have the same effect on others. Through storytelling, we’re able to make meaningful connections with people we want to meet. Here’s why:

 

  • As humans, we’re wired for stories. It’s science. A Powerpoint presentation activates two parts of the brain that handle language processing: Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. A story, however, activates the language processing area AND any other area used when experiencing the events of a story. Storytelling activates the whole brain.

 

  • Storytelling helps us. Telling a story helps us make sense of the facts and communicate why those facts – to ourselves and others. Storytelling helps get people to listen, remember and retell our stories.

 

 

  • There are two ways to engage. You can engage your audience using two different things: The head & the heart. Traditional marketing favors facts over emotions. However, the content marketing of today’s world tells us that you must use “the heart” to drive action.

 

 

The key to understand the art of storytelling is knowing that values and emotions = action. You need to create a cohesive narrative to make sense of and communicate the facts. In doing so, you can get people to listen and, more importantly, remember what you’ve told them. Craft a narrative, they’ll want to know more.

 

Learn more about how to develop your brand message and share your unique why here.