Stories trump data when it comes to persuasion because stories are easier to understand and relate to. There are few mediums more captivating than a well told story, and stories are the thing we need most in the world: nourishment, shelter, companionship, and companionship.
Why you need to incorporate storytelling
How you say something is just as important as what you are saying. Refusal to recognize this places you at risk of having your good information become lost in a sea of less-worthy content.
- You also miss out on the connections to be made via a strong narrative.
6 more characteristics of highly persuasive stories
Delivery: pacing and deliver of the story matter as much as content
- Imagery: Without very specific and stirring visual cues in a story, listeners (or readers) may not be as totally immersed as they could have been with something to “see”
- Realism: Even if you are painting a fictional picture with the story, its elements need to relate to the reality that the audience is familiar with, for example, basic human motivations
- Structure: The film structure is over the second act, and the climax happens entirely in reverse
- Context: The reader is glued to the story from the beginning, even when the actual tale is not fully formed
Beyond the digital campfire
When it comes to selling, facts remain an important compliment to stories
- Use stories to activate the experiential side of your reader’s brain, and you’ll have won their attention and interest
- Back those stories up with facts, you’ve won their trust
How stories affect the mind
We are susceptible to getting “swept up” in both their message and in the manner of their telling
- Politicians often create a “story” for their campaign, and focus a lot of their efforts speaking with the public in crafting and standing by these stories
- Stories help sell arguments of all types
How to create better stories
The #1 trait of a persuasive story is how engaging the story is.
- Suspense in stories allows you to create an addictive narrative, as long as the suspense appears early enough to capture interest, and doesn’t keep people hanging on forever
- Creating detailed imagery helps craft the setting you want. Tell people what they are getting swept up into, and they’ll respond
- Literary techniques are essential pieces of memorable stories. For instance, in Animal Farm, the author uses literary techniques to turn a seemingly simple story into a memorable one.
