How to Use Metaphors to Tell Your Business Story – Adventures in Visibility

Denise Wakeman — Sat, 23 Jul 2016 21:24:37 +0000

Human beings have been telling stories since the dawn of time. First with images and then with written words. Stories help us make sense of the world and understand complex concepts.

But when it comes to our businesses, many of us have trouble figuring out how to tell our stories in a way that connects and isn’t boring (OK, I’m talking about myself!) That’s what my guests Michael Kass and Téa Silvestre Godfrey and I talk about in this episode of Adventures In Visibility. Both Michael and Téa are storytellers and work with others to help them tell their stories.

You’re going to learn why and how to share your personal and business story so it stands out. Learn about how to use the power of metaphors in your visual and social media marketing.

This is a replay of the live broadcast with Denise Wakeman, Téa Silvestre Godfrey, and Michael Kass. {click here if you prefer to watch the video on YouTube}

Timestamps for Not-to-Miss Moments

6:57 Why should businesses be telling stories?
8:01 We want to engage the whole person
8:24 If we don’t tell the story, the person who’s receiving whatever we’re saying will make up their own story
9:09 If you give people data points, they’ll make up a story based on their experience of the world. You’ve got to meet people where they’re at.
12:37 People who didn’t tribe up, got eaten by tigers!
13:54 Keep in mind attention span of your audience
14:16 Make sure you have a point every time you say something
14:27 Make it about your audience and not about you (to make it engaging)
14:59 What do you want them to do at the end of the story
15:22 Then you can reverse engineer how to tell the story
16:19 Definition of metaphors
17:02 What is the big over-arching theme you’re trying to portray (Téa’s brand example)
19:24 Example of Wall metaphor
25:09 Example of using story for small business coach – new shoes story
26:53 It doesn’t matter where you start; find a thread and follow it from there to find the connections in your life
29:13 What kind of words do you use when you talk about your big why?
30:00 What’s your origin story – your spider bite story (Superman)
30:2;7 What do you like to do when you’re not working
31:43 What’s your internal story? Needs to be consistent with the external story so you are comfortable being visible in the world
32:29 Denise’s story about adventure brand
33:41 If you don’t believe your own story, nobody else will.
35:06 Give examples to show us what you mean. Are they relevant to your audience and do they understand?
38:56 You need to learn how to tell powerful stories because only the powerful ones are cutting through the noise. Authenticity trumps structure
41:03 What is no one else saying that needs to be said?
42:15 Do you feel uncomfortable sharing the story, then you need to tell it. What’s the story only you can tell?
43:06 Branding story; come at it strategically, and what is the thing you need to say in the world that no one else can express
47:58 Story of designing a hammer
50:42 use the metaphors of your brand as search terms to create visuals for your stories
52:04 Create a “story bible” for your business so you always pull the right images to illustrate your story

Recommended Storytelling Tools

Discover Your Primary Business Story Type (The Story Bistro)

Building Leadership Stories Ecourse (Michael Kass)

How to Build Your Brand and Visibility Through Stories (interview with Carey Pena)

For your convenience, the audio is available as a podcast.

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About the Guests

Téa Silvestre Godfrey is a storytelling coach for small biz owners who want to change their industry and/or the world. She’s also the author of “Attract and Feed a Hungry Crowd,” and the co-author and editor of “30 Ways to Bloom Your Relationships Online.”

Michael Kass is an award-winning storyteller, facilitator, and coach whose work focuses on helping people and organizations harness the power of their stories to create change. His clients include start-ups, social impact organizations, CEOs, artists, musicians, and other humans interested in reconnecting with a deep sense of purpose and self.

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