The art of storytelling for business has been on the radar screen in recent years as a powerful tool for achieving success in the marketplace. With articles popping up from Fast Company, Forbes and Harvard Business Review, and a number of books published on the topic, there is no shortage of commentary on how storytelling can help businesses meet their objectives, why this is true, and how to be an effective storyteller.
I recently came across a compelling infographic, titled “Storytelling Is Not Just For Campfires,” on the blog for the Content Marketing Institute (original infographic courtesy of Fathom Business Events.) It puts into simple and visual terms the fundamentals of successful storytelling.
While you may have good facts and figures to back up your message, ultimately the art of persuasion – the centerpiece to business activity, according to the Harvard Business Review – requires reaching people at an emotional level. Nothing does this better than a good story. And every business has a story to tell.