how to tell a story: 10 simple strategies [issue 98]

7/31/2019 How to Tell a Story: 10 Simple Strategies [Issue 98]

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Hw t Tell

Stry10 Simple Str ategieS

jonah sachs
http://changethis.com/http://changethis.com/


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Mybe it beue were ll verldedwit ifrmti.

Mybe it beue were ll trvedfr meig.

Or mybe it beue, tk t ilmedi, everye beme brdtertee dy.

Wtever te re, were ll gettigte me mem t te me time:

if yu wt t be erd, yud better lert tell better trie.
http://changethis.com/http://changethis.com/


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W v n wod h hs os s conncon o s don yhs, nd w now yn

o fnd nw onsw o, nd hs wh o whou yhs do. ths yhs w

sh ou fuu, how w v, wh w do, nd wh w buy. thy w ouch of us Bu no

of us o w h. thos who do hv ndous ow.

and wh h s ow, h s su fo . ths why, jus bow h sufc, jus byond

wh h unnd cn s, h ws on on. th sods t py dons-

os nd chons of h 99 cn, c chn cvss, ks of cous nd

snk bnds. thy s o b fhn ov ds nd dos, bu hy y fhn

fo cono of ou sos.

Undsndn hs soy ws w k you o ffcv counco nd svv

d consu. i wn you o b of h ws bcus ou wod s bdy n nd of

souons n so ny csconoc, soc, nd nvonn o n jus fw. th by

o d u nd sd hs souons vs nd ds on h by o sos nd

ns o o hnk dffny. Nohn s o un hn h h now.

Bu k o ks o cvss, ns o ducos whov found hsvs on h

cvn nd of hs dvc, nd you h h s hn: Yh, i undsnd i nd o do

, bu s howo do .


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Usuy h convson nds wkwdy h. i dosn hv o. in wn y 2012 book,

Wnnn h Soy Ws nfso on how o bk houh n ou d sud wod

i uncovd 10 s ss h nyon cn us o s n sos h hd

nd ov o o con.

i know wh you hnkn: 10 s ss? Soyn s n h ks nbon

n nd nns ddcon o dvo. Bu f sndn dcd schn s cc,

i convncd h soyn s ss k yn conco nd o k h cssc bod

Oho: nu o n, f o s. W, yb fw nus.

So s sy you chn s o cuso o buy sohn, you o wok b

oh, o housnds of o o jon you un cus. pu down you fcs, you hs,

you dns, nd you sc offs nd y hs s soyn ss.

Whatever the reason, were all getting the same memoat the same time: if you want to be heard, youd better

learn to tell better stories.


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1 Know Wh Soy is

Ok, hs fis sy sn qu sy. is h sn conc you nd o u h

nn oh conb ss o wok. B wh on hs on.

Wv bn od sos snc w w odds, so w hnk w know wh hy .

go s ov nd fnd wh h soy ws nd you obby dscb bunch

of chcs xncn ss of vns, conflcs nd sns.

Of cous, hs jus h sufc of soy. Sos h os owfu suson oo

hun bns hv v dvsd, bu hy cn ony b by cfd by undsndn wh

s bnh h obvous nd vsb sufc.

evy vsb n of w-od soy s cd on h vsb sufc fo scfic nd

sc sono us uh bou how h wod woks. W c hs uh h mo

of h Soy. Ou bns od by nn of vouon o un no sos so

h w cn n fo h xncs of ohsnd no hv o k oo ny sud s-

ks fo ousvs. W s n non wh h xcon h, h nd, h soy

w k sns. and fo h soy o k sns, vyhn h hns shoud on

bck o sn con uh. ths h mo.



W cn o on v d n undsndn soy, howv. th mo s sf bsd on co

vus h soy wns o sh wh udncs. Whn w h soy wh h mo b

sf hn soy, w know h soy vus sfy nd scuy. a soy who chs us

h who hss s os s chn us o vu sk nd dvnu. th son h s, bs,

nd vn cvzons hv bn bu on sos s bcus sos conns fo vus. thy

bnd us oh n sns of us by n ou o sh sns of us wh s on

nd whs no.

Ok, hs fo h bckound. Bu ws woh , h? Now you know wh sos

bou.

2 Fu Ou Wh You Snd Fo

Whh you yn o sos fo you bnd (s k) o fo yousf (s d), h

fis s s known wh vus you snd fo. Bnds nd ds who c on h vus,

nd know how o counc h, conssny fo hh hn hos h don.

By choosn h vus you oo n vy soy you , you sk ou oy nd skohs o co jon you, dvn by h own sns of wh uy s. is how you un ud-

ncs no vnss.



mks hv on known no o sy shou h fus o bnfis o, bu o

h sos bsd on unvs hun vus. Fo h s hundd ys, howv, h unvs

vus os ks d o w f, d, sus skn nd sfy. ths s known

s ndqucy soyn bcus such sos k udncs f k hy ck sohn

h ony onsh wh bnd o d cn fufi.

Of cous, ndqucy soyn woksw s vywh. Bu h s n noy, fov fo h dyn Bodcs e. Josh Cb, h yhoos who sudd sos

coss cuus nd s, od us h h sos h hv wys wokd bs don sc

o. thy c h o hoc con nd o v ou nscndn vus. Bs you sos

on vus k hs nd you w b soy h nss, h hn fhns udncs

o con.

So s bnd o d, wh do you snd fo? Consd hs nscndn vus s you sch

fo you co: Couny, Jusc, tnsncy, Sf-exsson, lov, nd psvnc.

Whether youre trying to tell stories for your brand or for yourself,the first step is knowing what values you stand for.


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3 Dc You mo

Ok, so you dy o w h soy h w ock you 30-scond so, you ousn sch

o you nx ch o bkhouh. Bu how?

th c o s s no on h sufc. th chcs, conflc nd sns bou how

you . Bfo you o h, you nd o know wh you yn o syh wh s h

mo of h Soy.

to find you mo, sk yousf: Wh co bf hd by y udnc woud i k o sk o,

o chn, wh y soy? myb you cusos bv you oduc s jus n od oo h

hy cn buy o chy sowh s. myb you fs hy nd o fih fi whfi whn conflcs s. myb you vos f hs no us dscussn o osv fuu

whn hns hv on so bk.

g sos cn shf such bfs on d by noducn nw bf sys bou how

h wod woks h s o con hn h od on.

Whn a wnd o o s h son cou no s busnss chn, bu s

fon of son cvy, hy sd h snson 1984 soy-d. th mo? Cv

non-confoss owd wh h h oos w u h wod. th wod nsny d.


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Whn ndy NBa coch ph Jckson coudn mch Jodn nd cony o cono h

s (o wn) ns h dy-yn Do psons, h od h soy. Jckson od of h

Soux wos who hnkd h ns bfo nn b bcus hy knw ony

ny cn k wo. th Bus cd down nd b h psons 27 s n ow.

th od bf? an y fo n y. th nw bf, ov you ny. On ddn wok, h oh dd.

and, of cous, hs Bck Obs nss 2008 soyn cn, wys onn

bck o h s mo: Wokn hd nd wokn oh, w cn bn ho o ac.

Vos knw (nd ovd) wh h sood fo bcus h knw wh hs mo ws nd nv

sod n sos bou .

a h of hs xs o nscndn vus: a d o Cvy nd

Sf-exsson, Jckson o lov, nd Ob o Couny nd psvnc. ths s

soys found fc nn bwn co uh nd coon vus

So bfo you s cfn you soy, sk Whs h mo of y soy? W down s

b s you cn, nd s you o houh h nx ss k su vy wod you co o you

sos s budn h cs fo you mo.


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4 Now pov i

Fny, w dy o o h soy sufc, whch s wh w sy fo h s of hs

ss.

Wh you mo n hnd, you hv wo chocs: y you udncs (hn: hs no soy-

n) o ov you mo by shown y ou n h vs of b, nb chcs.

th ss wy o find owfu nd uhnc soy s o sk of yousf how do i know

y mo o b u? if y s u, you shoud b b o dnfy -f xncs

youv hd, sos youv hd s chd, o w-known books, ovs o nds h bn

you mo o con f.

By dwn fo you own o of xncs nd sos, you connc h soy

you n o you n dy uhnc wy, budn you ow o h soy w.

The easiest way to find a powerful and authentic story is

to ask of yourself how do I know my Moral to be true?


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ph Jckson hs sn uch of hs f wh h Soux nd s dy suy conncd o h

b. Whn ookn fo soy o us hs mo, h dw on hs own uhnc xnc.

i v hs soy cdby wh hs ys bcus hy knw h soy ws scd o h.

rdy Sco boowd 1984 fo go Ows conc book h hd concy ovn h

dns on confoy. Ob boowd Ys W Cn fo hs xncs s on

onz nd mos of s ovns h dd.

tnb xncs youv hd o con sos youv hd h bs w

fo whch o cf you nx soy. Jus ook h bs schs nd dvsns.

Vy fw of h sos hy c fo hn .

So s bck nd sk, wh soy ovs y mo o b u? and don woy bou coyn.

Onc w houh wh h nn ss, you hv d h soy vy uch you own.

5 So tyn o B h Ho

evy soy hs hoh n chc udncs bhnd nd wn o s

succd. in cn hs fous Hos Jouny od o xn h os succssfu sos

of , Cb showd h h ho ws usuy hss ousd, h s ky son

o chn h wod (hnk luk Skywk, Doohy, ny Fodo).


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Why s hs su so ou? Bcus udncs usuy f k hss ousds hsvs

no hos. thy cn o such chcs nd by h h soy s don, hy bv

hy cn b o hoc hsvs. as soys yn o su o o con, sn

h wh w wn?

th wo ssons h: Fs, s h k o d n soy, you no h h-

ss ousd. You h x. th so ny sub wys w cs ousvs s hos of

ou own sosh by kn ncssny bou ousvs o kn h d chc

hny vd snd-n fo ou own os. is o so. You nd you bnd no h ho,

you udnc s.

Whch ds us o h scond sson: mk su h n chc(s) n you soy o

who s ou o k you udnc nd hn vov o b k you udncs son

svs. You b zd how o w k u nd sn.

So k h w soy youv d fo xnc o o cuu nd s cn you own

vson of . ehsz h chcscs of h ho h you udncs w b b o

o. and off you hh hosh ho of you soy s no you. On wy o do hs s o sn-

k you soy wh huo ks you ou of h o of ho nd no h o of usd fnd.


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6 Show h Bokn Wod

th ss wy o s h s fo you soy s o dscb h fc ndsc you ho

nhbsh bokn wod. a h bnnn of h dvnu, hns no h. Scficy,

you ho os n y n whch sh bvs sh s no owd o v h hh vus

nd h sus sh dss.

pn c cu of hs wod n wy h w udncs noddn h hds nd syn

Hy, hs y wod. i fc hos chns oo.

7 mk Su ths acon

th con of h soy dosn y s un h ho (h chc you udnc wns o b)

cos no conc wh h nss (h chc you udnc dosn wn o b).

th wo focs nd w on h d of ou ss un on vs. ths knds of

conflcs wh k os sos con.

So s you cf you soy, sk who snds n you hos wy? Cssc sos fu n cubd uy. if you o hs ou, hs n nsn ws on h fou: th vn s no jus

u v. H s ofn who h ho h b f sh fd o usu h hh vus. rb


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who Dh Vd y ws? Hs h uy luk woud hv bco f h hd vn n o hs

. if you hv vn, k h s b o you udncs s you hoh vn

w ovd owfu cuony whn you soy.

Bu vns don hv o b ndvdus. thy cn b ouodd uds, ou bfs ovn h nsy voc whn h ho hsf h s o hod h bck.

Whchv sy you choos, s ky h you od you soy o cy n wh snds

n you hos wy.

8 rv h mo

in os sos you o ov chn n bf, you ho w ovco h vn o

obsc nd succd. How sh conqus h focs ns h vs h mo of h Soy.

ths on of succss s h os on scn n h soy you . povd ch nd vvd

d bou how you ho ks n unky choc, dfficu scfic o bks od hbs

o chv h u bkhouh.

H you vn you co uh bou how h wod woks. Do hs w nd you won hv

o s ou you mo. audncs w nsny s nd bn o y o h own vs.


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So focus on hs scn of u bkhouh. Dos you ho n o bv n h own

ow? Dos sh v h ow u, nn o us h couny? Dos sh finy u

uh vyon s s fd o sk? evy soy hns on hn on o us-

s mo, nd yous shoud o.

9 Bk h mod

Now youv o you cs n cyou ho, you vn, you on of bkhouh.

th obvous wy o n hs ns s k hs: dscb h bokn wod; noduc

you ho; noduc you vn; show h conflc nd hn h bkhouh; dscb h wod

s b n h nd.

Bu obvous s y bs whn cos o n soy. g soys sus udncs

by sn n unxcd cs. phs w n h soy h on of bkhouh

nd hn flsh bck o h bokn wod. O yb w s fo h scv of h vn

fis ncounn ou ho.

Onc you f cofob wh you co soy ns, you hv ndss chocs s o whyou bn nd wh you nd. You won dscov h bs sy un youv d ny

cobnons. Bu whn you find h h on, you ofn know h wy.


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10 Sy On gound lv

Ds . th shs, sounds nd ss of soy k co o f. if you you

soy fo h dchd 35,000 scv, you b don o hn dssn u sn

of fcs n h cohs of soy.

insd, bn udncs h down o h oundhs wh ks dnficon wh

h chcs ossb. ebsh you sos wh vsu o vb ds h v udncs

fn h hy w uy h nd h hyv nd hs ssons fo hsvs.

ths ks wok. i ns n no h hds nd hs of you chcs. ask yousf,

wh woud hv bn k o hv hs xnc? thn n you soy fo hnshs youv nd.

Embellish your stories with visual or verbal detailsthat leave audiences feeling that they were truly there

and that theyve learned these lessons for themselves.


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in wn Winning the Story Wars, i v ysf hs s chn. in n h sos

of moss, rob Onh, nd h ab Sn o us y ons, i cuy o

yd ch of hs chcs. i d y bs o coss sc nd o nhb h wods.

thn i od h sos s f i w h wkn sd by sd wh h. i und book

bou soyn no book of owfu sos.

ls b hons, no soy w h n ss fcy, nd soy cn b wn

foown s ss. Bu f you do k h o s soy fo oy, yh, o

h xnc of ohs nd hn fin-un wh h ss concs iv vn you, you

hv owfu c o s.A x m sm lls s m ll

b ss, ca ll m wll wa.


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Buy the Book | g o ds o buy coy ofWnnn h Soy Ws.

ABout the Author | as h co-found nd CeO of F rn Sudos, Jonh

hs hd hundds of jo bnds nd cuss bk houh h d dn wh

unfob cns. Hs wok on ndy v vdos k th mx ndth Soy of Suff ss hv bouh ky soc ssus o h non of o hn

65 on o onn. a consn nnovo, hs sudos wbss nd sos hv

kn o honos h s h Souh by Souhws F Fsv. Jonhs wok

nd onons hv bn fud n The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN,

FOX Nws, Sundnc F Fsv, Npr nd n Fast Companyzn who nd

h on of h 50 os nfun soc nnovos.

Send thiS | pss on coy of hs nfso o ohs.

SuBScriBe | Sn u fo -nwso n whn ou s nfsos vb.

ths docun ws cd on Sb 12, 2012 nd s bsd on h bs nfoon vb h .

th coyh of hs wok bons o h uho, who s soy sonsb fo h conn. ths wok s cnsd

und h Cv Coons a buon-NonCoc-NoDvs lcns. to vw coy of hs cns, vs

Cv Coonso snd o Cv Coons, 559 Nhn abbo Wy, Snfod, Cfon 94305, USa.

Cov fo V.You vn h und h o n hs nfso nd o dsbu concy

(v , you wbs, o ny oh ns). You cn n ou s nd u h n you fvo coff shos

wndows o you docos wn oo. You cn nscb h uhos wods ono h sdwk, o you cn hnd ou

cos o vyon you . You y no hs nfso n ny wy, houh, nd you y no ch fo

If
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Chnthss vhc, no ubsh. W k sy

fo b ds o sd. Wh h uhos w wok wh

sonsb fo h own wok, hy don ncssy

wh vyhn vb n Chnths fo.

Bu you knw h dy.

Chnths s suod by h ov nd nd c

of 800-CeO-reaD. Vs us 800-CeO-reaD

o ou dy bo.

exo you knowd fuh wh KnowdBocks,

nw ojc fo 800-CeO-reaD h s you un

wh you know no knowd you cn us.

Abut CgeTi
http://changethis.com/http://800ceoread.com/http://blog.800ceoread.com/http://knowledge-blocks.com/http://knowledge-blocks.com/http://blog.800ceoread.com/http://800ceoread.com/http://changethis.com/

how to tell a story: 10 simple strategies [issue 98]

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