Is storytelling a official persuasion tactic?
In 2009, authors Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn devised a social experiment to search out out. The pair bought 200 small collectible figurines for a median value of $1.25—and a grand complete of round $250. Subsequent, they employed authors to jot down a narrative to go together with every figurine and put them on the market on the public sale website eBay.
The outcomes have been phenomenal. Collectively, the collectible figurines offered for $8,000, which by our back-of-the-napkin-math yields an ROI of three,100%.
Why is that this so efficient?
Tales might set off a hormonal response within the mind that creator and coach David JP Phillips referred to as an “Angel’s Cocktail” in a chat for TEDx Stockholm. A few of these embody:
- dopamine, which boosts focus, motivation and reminiscence;
- oxytocin, which fosters belief; generosity and bonding; and
- endorphins that are linked to creativity.
Briefly, the proof suggests storytelling has a physiological impact on individuals. To place it one other means, details might inform, however tales promote.
Ought to buyer success groups use storytelling?
Storytelling is a technique of conveying data in a way that’s demonstrably fascinating, memorable and persuasive. As such, buyer success groups can use storytelling strategies to assist persuade prospects to resume their annual subscription contracts.
To make certain, we’re not advocating buyer success managers (CSMs) simply make up any outdated story. Reasonably, CSMs ought to acquire and analyze account knowledge—and use the information to develop a narrative of how a product helps prospects remedy issues.
Certainly, that was the important thing message behind a presentation by Keishla Ceaser-Jones and Stephanie Workman-Bolden at BIG RYG, the Buyer Success Management Convention. Keishla is the senior director of accomplice success and digital expertise at EAB, and Stephanie is the director of accomplice success and Discovery Schooling. Of their workshop titled “Create data-driven tales that drive prospects to motion,” the pair shared a framework and ideas CSMs can use to develop compelling tales with excessive constancy.
5 steps to turn out to be a greater storyteller and captivate your prospects
1. Develop a storytelling framework
Comic Aaron Woodall jokes that Star Wars and Harry Potter are successfully the identical story. In each tales a younger male protagonist is orphaned and despatched to dwell with an aunt and uncle. That’s till a mysterious stranger teaches him about historical magic. The protagonist winds up leaving dwelling to check this magic – and ultimately discovers the reality about his father.
The similarity between these tales isn’t a coincidence. In truth, creator Joseph Campbell traveled the world within the Twenties to check historical mythology. He discovered that whereas distinct cultures – Asian, African, European, Polynesian, and Native American – had developed individually, the tales they’d handed down by means of time all adopted the similar primary framework.
Accordingly, buyer success must develop its story framework. Keishla and Stephanie tied the phases of each story— starting, center and finish—to the steps in a buyer’s journey: adoption, engagement and utilization. When you consider it, that framework is similar to the “downside, resolution, outcomes” format advertising and marketing typically makes use of for case research.
Stephanie says making a framework does two issues for buyer success: first, it creates a shared understanding and language to make use of internally throughout departments. Second, it permits CSMs to map their actions to phases and see how their actions drive higher outcomes for purchasers.
2. Collect buyer’s product knowledge
This step may appear apparent on the floor, however the framework you determine helps you focus your knowledge assortment efforts. For instance, the information you acquire about consumer adoption can be completely different from the information you acquire about utilization.
- Adoption knowledge would possibly embody parts such because the variety of logins created for a particular buyer account, what number of have accomplished onboarding, or the time it takes to finish product coaching.
- Engagement knowledge might cowl interactions inside and outdoors the product. Do they open emails? Are they attending consumer conferences and webinars? Are they referenceable? Are they finishing NPS surveys?
- Utilization knowledge will have a look at energetic customers, time spent utilizing the product, throughput and the highest options used.
Some SaaS merchandise have efficiency dashboards inbuilt that assist. Others use a buyer success platform, like ChurnZero, which automates knowledge assortment right into a consolidated view.
3. Analyze the information for patterns and relationships
The subsequent step is to assessment the information and draw some conclusions. Step again and check out to have a look at the larger image. How is a buyer’s exercise—adoption, engagement and utilization—impacting the worth they’re getting from the product?
It’s vital to stay as agnostic as doable when reviewing the information. Let the information inform the story, fairly than cherry-picking sure knowledge factors to help the story you need to inform.
Cautious knowledge evaluation can result in breakthrough pondering. For instance, throughout World Conflict II the U.S. was searching for the optimum means to strengthen plane with armor. The objective was to raised defend planes from being shot down. This was essential to get proper as a result of armor is heavy and impacts plane efficiency and gas necessities.
A particular group analyzed the bullet holes on the plane that returned from missions. It concluded the armor ought to go the place plane are most probably to be hit. But one statistician disagreed. He advisable armoring the areas that didn’t have any seen harm. Whereas much less apparent, the information was telling him that the planes that obtained shot there didn’t make it again.
4. Storyboard your findings
A storyboard outlines your findings. In broad phrases, it describes the start, center and finish for every of the tales you’re telling round adoption, engagement and utilization. Strive to have a look at issues out of your buyer’s perspective and permit the narrative to emerge from the information.
For instance, if in case you have plenty of customers, maybe there’s story about adoption and adoption charges. In case you solely have 10 customers, a greater story could be round throughput – a hit story that may result in improved adoption.
5. Visualize the information
That is the section the place you depict the information from the story visually in a chart or graph. It’s vital to maintain issues easy. Too many charts or slides can overwhelm the shopper. In contrast, too little knowledge can go away them misplaced or questioning the way you arrived at your conclusion.
“Be intentional about your slides and deal with them as instruments,” mentioned Stephanie. “They shouldn’t be talking for you. They need to complement what you’re saying.”
Remodeling knowledge into narratives
By weaving the shopper’s journey and experiences with a product right into a story, CSMs can spotlight successes, handle challenges, and showcase the worth that has been delivered. It’s not nearly throwing numbers and details at them; it’s about making an actual connection, exhibiting that you simply perceive their challenges, and celebrating the wins collectively.
Among the finest alternatives to interact prospects with storytelling is throughout quarterly enterprise evaluations (QBRs). Uncover how one can run a simpler QBR from preparation and kickoff to conclusion and follow-up in our weblog, “Find out how to lead quarterly enterprise evaluations (QBRs) prospects need to attend.” You’ll be taught ideas for making a fascinating presentation, in addition to methods for encouraging energetic participation, clear communication, and accountability amongst QBR attendees.
Ceaselessly requested questions on storytelling and buyer success
- How can we measure the influence of storytelling on buyer retention and satisfaction?
Figuring out the influence of storytelling on buyer retention and satisfaction includes a mixture of qualitative and quantitative measurements. Have a look at renewal charges and Web Promoter Scores (NPS) do get a way of how numbers have moved, or buyer surveys and suggestions for qualitative insights. - What are the challenges or limitations of utilizing storytelling as a method in buyer success?
Implementing storytelling successfully comes with its set of challenges. One main hurdle is guaranteeing the tales ring a bell together with your prospects. One other limitation is the useful resource funding wanted to mine knowledge and craft these narratives. Overcoming these challenges is about getting artistic with the tales you inform and ensuring your group is provided with storytelling help instruments, like AI. - Can storytelling be utilized to all varieties of services, or are there particular industries the place it’s simpler?
Storytelling isn’t a one-size-fits-all technique. Whereas it’s a robust instrument in just about any sector, its effectiveness can rely upon how nicely the narratives align together with your viewers’s expectations and experiences. numerous case research can make clear how storytelling performs out in numerous contexts and assist establish what makes it click on in sure industries over others.
