How to drive revenue with storytelling

These days, thanks to technology and the rise of social media, there are millions of opportunities for people to connect with the stories that matter to them. Any medium can be used to tell a story, as long as the message is carefully crafted and developed with the medium(s) in mind. Read more

Storytelling makes a $250 million difference

A little round dot followed by sentence fragments, again and again. It’s the format of so many PowerPoint presentations. The bulleted text has become our crutch in corporate communications. Then, even worse, what if the presenter reads each and every word to the audience? Read more

Which presentation do you remember?

PowerPoint overload! We get it at every conference or big meeting. PowerPoint is a staple of podium-based speeches that fill the day. What a great environment to evaluate what works and what doesn’t work. Read more

Personal branding long before social media

Personal branding today is deeply rooted in how you present yourself online. But, a 40-year old brand known as Jimmy Buffett provides some lessons we could all learn about brand building. Read more

So, you wanna be a blogger?

Would you like to start your own blog or website? Are you worried about the commitment? Do you really have enough content to make it happen? Yes, you do. Does the technology scare you? It shouldn’t. Here a few tips and tricks to get you started. Read more

How to use a story to challenge a buyer’s thinking

Good friends, good food, and good wine always lead to stories, so it’s no surprise that I have a second post from the wine trip that I mentioned earlier in the week. This is post for any seller who has challenged a customer to think differently, but the customer did not at first respond well. Read more

The most successful business owners tell the best stories

The best trade-show on earth, well that’s what our group called this past weekend at the Savor the Central Coast wine event near Paso Robles California. It offered rows of booths to visit and everyone wanted you to like their product the best – similar to a trade-show. As easy as it was for each seller to give away wine, the best storytellers were the winners. Read more

How to be a great storyteller

Everyone needs to keep a collection of stories and interesting factoids and be ready for the moment it will help move listeners to action. A great storyteller never tells a story the same way twice. Instead, she sees what is unique in each storytelling experience and responds fully to what is demanded. Read more

How to persuade an audience

If you believe you would benefit from techniques to make strong connections with your audience, to inspire and make important changes, you should be exploring the techniques shared by Nancy Duarte, who recently presented a webinar at UCLA entitled: That Resonates with Me! How to Persuade Any Audience. Read more

How to make a sale

Remember your last big personal purchase? You had to define your needs, develop a budget, explore options and make a decision. That’s not too different from a purchase made in the business world. I was reminded of this today. Read more