Is Father Christmas Real; Why Storytelling is so Incredibly Important

When I was 25, my mum was proud of the fact that we had never discussed the verity of Father Christmas, which, of course, is not in question. She wanted that story to be a part of my life, so she made sure it was, well into adulthood. 

I have continued the tradition with my kids. Father Christmas, the story of a toymaker that brings love and joy to children all around the world has been in effect at the Shaw house for over 30 years. Now, we are indoctrinating the grandkids as well. 

Storytelling as a form of persuasion and communication is unparalleled, whether it is about Father Christmas (aka Santa Claus) or an example about whether Disney Theme Park Guests want to eat a salad while visiting the park (spoiler alert: they don’t). 

In this episode, we discuss the power of storytelling in business, from the theory behind why it works to how you can apply it practically in your experiences to enhance your customer strategy.

Key Ideas to Improve your Customer Experience

Human beings seem to be hard wired for stories. We seek out stories because they entertain us. We remember stories better than we do if the same information is conveyed in a nonstory format. We tend to be more persuaded by stories and are more likely to relay stories to other people than if the same information was communicated in another way. 

Here are a few key moments in the discussion:

• 04:49  Ryan presents the generalized summary of what theoretical work on storytelling has taught us. 
• 07:27  Colin gives an example of an often-told story he uses to make his point about an abstract concept, to make concrete his point about an abstract concept.
• 10:16  Colin discusses the role of  social proofing in storytelling around organized religion, simultaneously trying to explain his point while not getting cancelled.    
• 15:08  Colin admits that Apple tells a story he likes to hear, and how that affects his affinity for the brand.  
• 16:31  Ryan shares how many tech companies have origin myths, that are not that different from superhero stories in a way.  
• 20:01 WARNING: Colin says something that is not safe for the six-year-old (or six-years-old at heart) listeners of the podcast. 
• 21:53  We share practical advice about how to use story telling in experiences and customer strategy.     

 

Please tell us how we are doing! Complete this short survey. 

Customer Experience Information & Resources

LinkedIn recognizes Colin Shaw as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers.' As a result, he has 289,000 followers of his work. Shaw is Founder and CEO of Beyond Philosophy LLC, which helps organizations unlock growth by discovering customers' hidden, unmet needs that drive value ($). The Financial Times selected Beyond Philosophy LLC as one of the best management consultancies for the last two years. Follow Colin on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Click here to learn more about Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University. 

Why Customers Buy: As an official "Influencer" on LinkedIn, Colin writes a regular newsletter on all things Customer Experience. Click here to join the other 22,000 subscribers. 

Experience Health Check: You already have an experience, even if you weren't deliberate about it. Our Experience Health Check can help you understand what you have today. Colin or one of our team can assess your digital or physical Customer Experience, interacting with your organization as a customer to define what is good and what needs improving. Then, they will provide a list of recommendations for critical next steps for your organization. Click here to learn more. 

How can we help?

Click here to learn more about Beyond Philosophy's Suite of Services.