Type in the phrase “top ten ways” into Google and you’ll get 227 million results in 0.48 seconds.
Yes, that’s 227 million times someone has come up with the top ten ways to do something.
Top ten’s are officially average. Common. Even boring.
And that’s why storytelling works.
Imagine a different start to this blog: My boss just gave me an ultimatum. Give me a cracking presentation about the top ten ways to get attention or we’ll lose the client and you’ll lose your contract. Attention? Well, she just got mine.
In an age, where content is common, storytelling is one way to grab attention.
In fact, every one and every company has a story to tell, they just need to find their voice. If you haven’t written before, then start with one paragraph only. Describe what happened, how you felt, what it looked like, and the tension in the tale.
A client recently told me he’d abandoned his normal presentation style and peppered his speech with stories. He has never had such a large and positive reaction or follow up from potential clients.
Try telling stories – they’re not just different. They make lessons relevant. They’re more likely to be remembered and they give colour and context.
