What are some tips for crafting a compelling story around your idea?

While it's important to understand the audience's needs and perspectives, it can be equally compelling to present them with ideas that provoke thought or challenge their preconceptions. For example 🗣️ Disrupt the Echo Chamber: Introduce ideas that may run counter to the audience’s expectations. 🔌 The Power of Narrative Dissonance: Create a narrative that initially seems familiar to the audience but gradually introduces elements that create cognitive dissonance. ↳The Paradox Principle: Use paradoxes to pique interest. 🤝 Invite Debate, Not Just Agreement: Encourage your audience to question and debate your idea.

People love to be heard. You'll notice it in a conversation: listen to people and see how they shine, mention their name and repeat their ideas in a validating manner and they are on cloud nine. Same goes with crafting your story. Start with your audience, know them well and use this knowledge to tell your story. In your discovery calls ask them to describe your idea in their own words. These words are gold. Use them to give your audience a sense of familiarity.

Your story should not just reach your audience; it should speak to their core, mirror their inner dialogue, effectively making your idea feel like a serendipitous alignment to their expressed and unexpressed desires. To achieve this, make sure to delve deeper than demographics, unlocking the psychographics of your audience can transform your storytelling from generic to magnetic. Psychographics go beyond the 'who' and the 'what' to unearth the 'why' and the 'how' of audience behavior. This includes their values, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, and the psychological triggers that prompt action. By integrating these insights, you can craft a narrative that resonates on a more personal and emotional level

It's important to know your audience and who is receiving your message. This not only helps your brand exhibit the needs and desires of your audience, but it also allows some insight to who you are as a brand, and thus, brings you closer with your audience. When your brand tells stories about what your customers cares about, it shows good faith that your brand is listening. When a brand tells stories about who they are, their audience has a deeper connection with the brand.

I think it's important to consider the audience and platform before determining the best structure. Generally speaking, though, I like to use an inverted pyramid writing style, which comes from journalism. This style puts the most important information at the top and then provides supporting details. It is particularly effective when you know your audience is short on time and/or attention, as most are these days. Readers are able to know what the story is about within the first few sentences, so they get value from it even if they don't read the rest.

A magnetic headline acts as a filter, not a net. Its power lies not in drawing the masses, but in captivating the select few whose interests align precisely with your narrative. It should intrigue and entice, yes, but also signal to the most relevant readers that what follows is curated specifically for them. This strategic angle ensures that those who continue to read are the ones most likely to engage, connect, and act upon your story, making each word they read a step towards the mutual goal shared between storyteller and reader.

Creating a proper headline for your story is much like creating a proper movie title. Think about all the times you are searching for something to watch on Netflix. Before you read the synopsis of the movie, you are intrigued from the title. The title, or headline in this case, can stop people from scrolling and read your post or story. It is important to keep in mind: 1. Short and sweet. Do not make the headline a long-drawn-out sentence (unless it is your intention and intriguing enough to read on.) 2. The headline appropriately describes what the story is about. If the headline doesn't describe your story or it's vague enough to be anything, try harder. 3. Dare to be original. Originality matters in this crowded landscape.

Having spent my early career in radio, I can attest to the fact that it is entirely possible to paint a picture for your audience with words. Adjectives are your friend, as are adverbs, but I prefer using adverbs sparingly. If you can engage your readers' senses, you have won. It's the enticing buttery aroma that sells the hot, crispy and delicious popcorn.

As Rob points out you can paint word pictures. Orson Wells caused quite the stir about an alien invasion with just words. If done well the listener’s brain will assemble your words into a picture to make the story stickier.

To tell is to report, but to show is to transport the reader into the story, letting them live and breathe the experience. Whether you employ metaphors, draw on sensory descriptions, or use dynamic verbs to transform abstract concepts into tangible realities, choose whichever approach that comes most natural to you. Your goal is to create an experience so real that the reader forgets it’s just words on a page. They *feel* it!!

Showing the action of the story is much more effective than TELLING the story. By bringing examples or a story within a story, you are inviting your readers in. Now that your readers are in your story by showing them the action taking place, they are more invested and will have a better understanding of the story you are telling them. Stay away from facts and opinions. Draw a hard line in the sand and be a storyteller, not a journalist.

Authenticity in storytelling transcends mere honesty; it's about finding the harmony between shared experiences and unique perspectives. As storytellers, we must be similar enough to resonate, but different enough to attract. This delicate balance ensures our stories are not only seen as genuine reflections but also as beacons of originality that draw the audience into our world.

Bea content creator rather than just a teller or the stories. 1. Be all in 2. Passionate 3. Vulnerable 4. Express your values

As much as your story is about you and your idea, it is more so about how it relates to your audience. Authenticity is certainly key for your credibility, but you need to make your audience feel something in order to be truly memorable for the right reasons.

Calls-to-Action (CTAs) tend to be more effective when you can tie them directly with the story you just told. If your CTAs are always a generic “comment below” or “sign up for my newsletter”, they may get ignored or overlooked and be deemed irrelevant. When you can add a “content upgrade” as a PDF, checklist, and more, there’s a greater chance of getting follow-through on your call-to-action. With just a little more creative effort applied, your CTAs can outshine your competitors every time!

Show the future! Let your audience look into the crystal ball and see how will YOUR idea change their future story. I call this “The Future Story”. If you’re looking for ideas, take inspiration from sci-fi & apocalyptic movies. If a future disaster can be averted by your idea, show the future and turn the story in your favour. Or else, if the changes aren’t so dramatic, reveal a future story where current main points / realities are altered or bettered with your story. Treat it like a storyline from an alternate / parallel universe where your idea impacts the story differently.