A compelling story makes you unforgettable. It differentiates you from your competitors and engages your customers emotions - and while a sale may be purely a commercial transaction - the decision to buy, at what level and when, is largely emotional.
So I’ll say it again... Story is everything.
As a species - we’ve been telling stories for tens of thousands of years. From cave paintings and oral histories, to Shakespeare and You Tube, story is ingrained in our DNA. It’s how teachers first open a child’s world to learning, logic, even morality.
In fact I believe that it’s among the key evolutionary developments that separate us from the other primates - right up there with controlling fire and walking upright.
But, my story isn’t that exciting you say! No one cares about Acme Widgets - except the people who already use Acme Widgets.
I disagree - I believe anything can be told as a story - Let me demonstrate with one about the origins of story - and language.
While I have no scientific or archaeological evidence to support it - I suspect the first story was told on the same day language was invented. It probably went something like this.
Imagine you’re on the Serengeti, thousands of years ago... Wait... that sounds remarkably like “Once upon a Time.”
Never mind! We’re on the Serengeti... It’s the day the story was invented. We’re watching a father and son hunting for food. They’ve been out there all day with nothing to show for it, when they spot a wild boar. Unfortunately they can’t get him to come out in the open for a clear shot. So they wait... and wait ... and wait.
When finally - one of them (Most likely the son, who had a hot date that night with the Miller girl) - had an idea. If they could only find some way to communicate - work together - they could force ol’ Porky out in the open - shorten the hunt - and return to the cave - heroes.
So, they invented language. It seems that necessity is - after all - the mother of invention. (That and the Miller girl - two caves down) But, that’s another story entirely.
The first words ever spoken by man - were most likely “Boo” and “Arrrgh.”
It went something like this. The son, crept, stealthily, up behind a wild boar and shouted the newly minted word, “Boo!" At which point, the boar, who had been enjoying a nice arugula salad of roots, bugs and berries, ran from his soft warm hiding place - right into the path of the father who screamed “Arrrgh!!!!” as he impaled the distressed boar with his spear.
Moments later the first polysemous - or multiple meaning word - was invented. It was “Shhhh,” which the son took as a scathing criticism of his hunting abilities. The father however, had only intended “Shhhh” to mean, “Don’t tell your mother I sent you in there to do that!”
Later that evening after a dinner of roast boar, cole slaw and baked beans, the story was invented as our father and son duo began to recount the events of their remarkable day to the rest of the tribe.
Of course the tale grew a great deal in the retelling. But, that’s to be expected after a couple dirty martinis.
Their story finished to resounding applause - our duo was basking in recalled glory - when the first polysyllabic word was uttered by mom. “Swishwoosh...” which as near as experts can determine meant, “Honey, you still haven’t fixed the door to the dishwasher so... you’ll have to load it yourself.” "Swhishwoosh” was also a polysemous word - as the females in the cave, knew that it also meant - “I’d do it myself but I’m watching that handsome Mark Harmon on NCIS.”
The names of this, oh so important, father and son duo are lost to history, but the significance of their ingenuity remains in the penultimate spot in the development of humankind - nestled appropriately between, survival strategies for gathering food - and the “Honey Do” list.
Modern survival strategies have evolved to include reality TV and lite beer. And, that first Honey Do list is still awaiting a dishwasher repairman. But, the story remains, recounted time after time - growing more fantastic with each iteration.
And that’s the point. The story is what we remember.
So I’ll say it again... Story is everything.
Later that evening after a dinner of roast boar, cole slaw and baked beans, the story was invented as our father and son duo began to recount the events of their remarkable day to the rest of the tribe.