In Episode 138 of the Power Your Platform Podcast, I'm interviewing California-based author and corporate storyteller Donna Griffit. Donna has written a book called “Sticking To My Story, The Alchemy of Storytelling for Startups” and in the book she shares how to deliver winning investor pitches using the art of storytelling.
As Donna explains in today’s episode, our human brains are hardwired for storytelling. So when we use a storytelling framework when approaching our investor or sales pitches, we’re setting ourselves up for business success.
In today’s episode, Donna and I talk about what our audience is REALLY listening for when we’re telling a story and why our business vision is one of the biggest keys to pitching success.
Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from today's conversation with Donna:
1 - Stories are powerful tools to use when pitching an audience since they tend to stick in the minds of our listeners long after other data is forgotten.
2 - Authenticity is the secret to successfully telling – and selling – your story.
3 - Recognizing your origin story and the “why” behind your business is key to communicating your unique market position with your audience.
4 - Every business needs a why story which includes your what, your how and your way. Remember, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
5 - It’s important to identify a vision for your company that takes you beyond the moment you’re in now. When we share our vision with our audience, they’ll get a clearer idea of where the path is taking us.
6 - Creating a story in four acts can also help to create clarity for our audience. Those four acts include: The Problem, The Solution, The Action Plan and the Next Moves.
7 - Our audience is listening for three things when we tell a story: credibility, likeability and momentum.
8 - As women, we tend to play down our accomplishments. Instead, we need to be spotlighting them to build greater credibility.
9 - Being likable isn’t about being cute; it’s about being someone who can work well with others to get the job done.
10 - And finally, when it comes to building momentum, our story needs to demonstrate that we’re making progress in our business. When we do, others will want to be a part of that progress as well.
