Having knowledge is good, sharing knowledge is better and to anchor yourself with this knowledge in the memory of the recipient is the goal of every speaker, ambassador, politician and entrepreneur. But how do you ensure that your knowledge is perceived? And just as importantly, what can one do to make sure that the message is linked to you?
Storytelling anchors the message
Even if it is highly interesting, we can only remember a fraction of the amount of information we are confronted with every day. It is simply too much. This also applies to the transmitter. Will he be remembered? – Maybe. But probably not. Whoever wants his message or knowledge to be heard has the following options: He is called Barack Obama or Dalai Lama, or he wraps his message into a good story. A story that brings the core of the statement to the point and conveys it reliably.
Is telling stories not somehow “old”?
Ancient. The Grimm brothers already knew how to pack their messages so that they could be remembered. When Little Red Riding Hood’s mum says, “Do not leave the path, that is too dangerous,” you forgot the statement before the sentence is finished. However, if you yourself are tricked by the wolf who wants to eat granny and Little Red Riding Hood, one can remember the message of not leaving the trail. The reason is simple: the storyline draws the attention of the listener through its tension curve. At the same time, the recipient is emotionally involved in the happening and thus no longer forgets the story and the message packaged in it. This is even scientifically proven: stories influence our actions.
Content does not go viral. Stories do.
While contents and target groups of novels, films, series and YouTube contributions are different, they all have one thing in common: they tell stories. For a number of years “storytelling” has been used by marketing and advertising in order to anchor products or services better in the minds of consumers. Instead of just pushing out content, you tell a story and get the attention of the target audience.
As with Little Red Riding Hood, the recipient must participate. He must experience the story, the emotions. He usually finds the story so good that he wants to tell it. Then the message is spread with a minimal effort. Marketing says: “The story goes viral.”
By letting us participate in your story and by sharing your feelings, we understand: You don’t just want to inform me. You appreciate me as a human and strive for a human connection. That’s why I am sharing my story (something personal) with you.”
There are plenty of opportunities for story telling as part of personal branding on your social media profiles, during the interview process even in your cover letter.
