Top 5 Reasons Storytelling Is More Than A Buzz Word

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Storytelling is a pretty big buzz word these days around PR and marketing. Here at T60 it’s more than a trendy topic… it’s what we do and what we’re passionate about. Always have been, always will be.

The question is… why? Why do we love it so much and why is storytelling so en vogue when it comes to all the different types of marketing videos (updated 7/14/14) you can produce?

Why storytelling?

Storytelling can do a lot for a business. It holds important attributes that make it a terrific way to communicate. Here’s our top five reasons why storytelling is more than a buzz word…

  • it’s a great way to sell stuff without sounding like you’re trying to sell stuff
  • by incorporating information into a compelling story, you capture the audience’s attention and make them more receptive to your messages
  • storytelling helps viewers retain the information
  • after people watch something they really enjoy, they tell other people about it
  • storytelling is a natural for the social media world. Video storytelling in particular is easily shared and among the most popular content on the web

Are you sold on storytelling? Well, this is the tricky part. While anyone can tell stories, not everyone can tell them well.

I stink at spreadsheets. I can use them, but it probably takes me twice as long to put one together as Mrs. G. She loves them… has fun building them… and is the Excel Queen.

Storytelling is the same sort of thing. We all have the ability to do it, some storytellers are just better at it than others. Mrs. G’s strength… among MANY things… is handling numbers. Yours might be something else, while mine is storytelling. That’s worth considering when planning your corporate stories.

Storytelling starts with perspective

As professional storytellers, we just see things differently than most people. I’ll never forget walking into former Illinois State Senator John Millner’s office for the first time. He wanted a video to help viewers learn more about him.

The Senator was telling me about all the laws he had sponsored when I noticed a toy truck on shelf. That one observation completely changed the direction of the story we would tell (SEE THE PROFILE VIDEO). That’s what sets storytellers apart from others, they find stories everywhere.

Put your storytelling in the hands of someone like that and you’re bound to find out why it’s more than just a buzz word.

–Tony Gnau

Tony Gnau is a three-time Emmy-winning journalist. He is also the founder and chief storytelling officer at T60 Productions. T60 has won 12 Telly Awards for its work over the last eight years.