How to Craft Persuasive Stories
In a small village, a young shepherd boy is given the task of guarding the sheep. He\u2019s the type of boy who wants entertainment and perhaps even attention. So he suddenly cries out, \u201cWolf!\u201d
Hearing this, all the villagers come rushing to his aid. When they arrive, there\u2019s no wolf to be seen. So they get back to their daily lives.
Then they hear the boy cry \u201cWolf!\u201d again. The villagers run over and still, they don\u2019t see a prowling threat to their flock.
This happens again and again. They hear the \u201cwarning,\u201d rush over, and each time they don\u2019t find a wolf, their trust in the shepherd boy diminishes.\xa0
Then, one day, a wolf does suddenly appear to threaten the sheep. When the boy cries \u201cWolf!\u201d this time, the villagers ignore him. So the wolf is free to feast on the flock, and the boy is left with a hard lesson to learn about telling the truth.
Why does this well-known fable work so well as a memorable and persuasive teaching tool (in this case, for the importance of honesty)? In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, you\u2019ll get a deeper look into why this fable works along with other powerful insights on how to craft persuasive stories. You\u2019ll also hear examples of persuasive storytelling in action and discover answers to the following:
What are the important elements that make a story persuasive? How can storytellers balance facts and emotions to persuade effectively? And what common mistakes should you avoid making in persuasive storytelling?
\u2026and much more!
What you will learn in this episode:
- How the structure of your story contributes to its persuasiveness
- How advertisers, brands, charities, and politicians use story elements to persuade your decisions
- How persuasive story elements help take complex or abstract issues and make them personal and compelling
A little about me:
Hi there. I\u2019m Kymberlee.
As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I\u2019ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I\u2019ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn\u2019t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That\u2019s why I\u2019m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people\u2019s lives.
Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You\u2019ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same.
If you think business owners can\u2019t tell stories or don\u2019t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There\u2019s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.
Now it\u2019s your turn... If you\u2019re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you\u2019ve come to the right place.
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