In episode 29, I talked about the pros and cons of documentary films, looked at some case studies, and explained how the medium itself is the message. In this episode, we’re diving deeper into exactly WHY documentaries are so powerful. Have you ever felt so immersed into a tv show or a movie that you sobbed, or your palms began to sweat, or you found yourself literally on the edge of your seat? Of course you have! What’s up with that? Consider this episode as a look at your brain on film. Prepare to have your mind blown. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

If you need to change minds, make documentaries. Documentaries have the unique power to cause significant attitude and belief change. For example, the documentary, Food Inc., has caused thousands of people to change their eating habits. Why do documentaries have this power? Because they signal to the audience that everything in the documentary is truthful and transparent. In this episode, I will be talking about some pros and cons, how the medium itself is the message, and end with a statement about ethics. Two weeks from now, I will talk about how a film and story impacts your brain. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

If we’re to make a significant impact, we have to realize that we’re not always fighting for the attention of a distracted audience. The goal is to catch a distracted audience, establish a relationship with them, gain their trust, and turn them into a captive audience. It’s the captive audience that we’re able to influence. This episode (as most do) came from a personal frustration. I had yet another conversation with a digital marketer proclaiming that in order to be effective, videos must be 6 seconds. Not sure about you, but I’ve never heard of a single 6 second video that’s inspired radical lifestyle change, overturned court rulings, or even changed corporate policy. I know of several 90 minute documentaries that have achieved that. And yet, once we’re inside a marketing bubble, we ignore common sense, and parrot on about short attention spans and the need for videos to be no longer than 6 seconds. In this episode, I want to unpack the difference between a distracted and captive audience, why our goal should be to build (and cater to) our captive audience, and why long-form documentaries are superior to 6 second videos. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

To have a successful brand, it is important to build a genuine relationship with your customers. And the key to a genuine connection is authenticity. However, sometimes people sacrifice authenticity for a mistaken sense of professionalism. Too many marketers seem to assume that customers want to see something overly polished and buttoned up, when often, customers are hoping to connect with something real. Ironically, the more a brand strives to look professional, the more plastic and cold it becomes, and the further it distances itself from forming a genuine connection with its intended audience. This episode I’ll help you identify these barriers to connecting with your audience so you can properly remove them, and build a more authentic, meaningful brand. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

What exactly does brand storytelling include? What’s the purpose? In this episode, I’m going to connect the dots from prior episodes and explain how brand storytelling is a methodology. It’s not merely cinematic marketing or telling stories all the time.  It’s a marketing approach that covers the continuum from brand strategy (defining your story) to content marketing (telling that story). By using your customer’s story as an empathy tool, you can design a truly customer-centric brand built on loyalty and trust. Isn’t that what we all want? CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

Have you ever had an idea for a story, but weren’t sure how to get started with writing it? If so, this episode is for you.  Today I’m diving into story structure. Once you have your theme, you’ll need to start building the spine of your story through the rule of thirds. Whether your story is 6 seconds or 60 minutes, this same framework applies. By following a 3-Act structure and changing emotional poles, you’ll keep the audience engaged.  I’ll be discussing how long to make each act, what must occur in them, and how this pattern recurs throughout stories based on the length. REFERENCES Story by Robert McKee Save the Cat by Blake Snyder The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

I recently talked about busting the short attention span myth by creating engaging content, but didn’t dive into how to do it.  So, today I’m answering the big question: How do you create emotionally engaging content? How do you transform your material from a boring list of information into a powerful, meaningful human story? It starts with identifying the controlling idea and primal theme. In this episode, you’ll learn how to choose them and utilize both to build a sticky message your audience will internalize.  Whether you’re a marketer, business owner, or storyteller, this episode will help you make smarter decisions about what to include in your story to make the impact you want in the world. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

What story should you be telling when you start your business? Should you “start with why”...or does that spell financial disaster?   Today I’m discussing where to start with brand storytelling when you have a new business. These stories will build your foundation, attract customers, and secure steady business growth. I’ll be reviewing the 5 Levels of Brand Development I discussed last fall and dive deep into how to build your Level 1 Brand. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

What should you do with your brand film after you make it?   Most people say “post it on our website”....but is that a smart strategy? How many people will type in your website address, show up and watch it? It's often not as many as you hope.   Is there a better way to get more mileage out of your brand film?   Quick answer: YES. Instead of passively posting it on your website and hoping it will be a “marketing magic bullet,” let me offer a new strategy: put it in a funnel.   In this episode, I discuss how to get more eyes on your brand film and structure your funnel around what already works in your sales process. If you already have a brand film, you’ll learn how to make it work harder for you. If you’re thinking about making one, this will inspire you about how to leverage it for the largest reach. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website

Do we really have shorter attention spans now…or is something else going on? Ever since Microsoft Canada released their paper stating that human beings have shorter attention spans than goldfish, marketers have become obsessed with attention spans. But here’s the truth: You are not a goldfish. The Microsoft presentation got that information from a company called “Statistic Brain,” and those statistics could NEVER be verified by multiple sources. The goldfish myth has been debunked. In this episode, I explore the real issue: We don’t have short attention spans –  we have access to an overwhelming amount of content. So what does that mean for our marketing? Listen to this episode to find out. CONNECT WITH BRYCE AT MCNABB STORYTELLING Turn Strangers Into Advocates [FREE Guidebook] Instagram YouTube Twitter Website