Intro:

As a leader, I've always believed that the key to unlocking success lies in the ability to tell a compelling story. Whether you're pitching an idea, seeking investment, or trying to convince others to join your team, storytelling is an essential skill that can make all the difference.

Recently, I read an inspiring book titled "Backable" by Suneel Gupta, which focuses on how to convince people to take a chance on you, your idea, or your business. One of the key takeaways from the book is the importance of effective storytelling.

The Elements of a Great Story:

So, what makes a great story? There are several key elements to consider:

Convincing Yourself First:

If you don't believe in your idea, why should anyone else? It's essential to have confidence in your vision and be able to articulate it clearly. You fully understand the problem and have identified a unique solution that sets you apart from the crowd. You not only think you have a good idea, you know you have the right solution.

Casting a Central Character:

The best way to empathize with an audience is to tell a story that they can relate to. Storytelling is an art as old as time. At the end of the day, all we really have are the stories we can take with us. What is a constant element in any great story? An awesome central character.

Identify a central character that embodies your story and stick to it throughout your pitch. This could be a customer, a user, or even a fictional character. Help the audience to really empathize with this character. Where do they live? What type of job do they have? What obligations do they have? What do they worry about? What problem are they encountering and why should you care? How have they struggled with and continue to struggle with this problem? Why should you care anyways? Why doesn't a solution exist for this problem already?

You want the audience to be able to relate to this character. Even if they live different lives, you've brought the audience into the world of your central character. They now understand the problem this character is dealing with and like any good story, want to see a happy ending for them.

Finding an Earned Secret:

What have you learned through your experiences that can't be found on Google? In working your problem, you've iterated continuously and refined your solution into what it is today. Along the way, if you've followed an iterative design process, you've likely built multiple prototypes, ran multiple experiments, and collected authentic customer feedback through interviews. Share your unique insights and perspectives to add depth to your story. You are the expert on this problem and you know something that the rest of us don't.

Make It Feel Inevitable:

Create a sense of urgency and momentum around your idea. Show how it's the natural next step in a larger narrative. Go back to your central character and reiterate how, just like them, many others encounter this same problem every day and that people are catching on. We need to act before somebody else does.

You understand the problem, you've identified your customer and gotten to know them, and you've earned secrets through countless hours of hard work. This train is leaving the station with or without them. Climb aboard and let's do something amazing together.

Flip Outsiders to Insiders:

Instead of telling people what they should do, show them how they can be part of something bigger than themselves. Share your vision and invite them to join you on the journey. Everybody loves when they have the opportunity to show up and be a hero. Paint that picture for them. Show them how they specifically can propel the operation to new heights. After all, you approached this person for a specific reason. Show them how together, with them as a central character with their unique superpower, you can achieve greatness together. Most importantly, be authentic about it. People can tell.

Show, Don't Tell:

When you have great work that speaks for itself, let it shine. But do so at the right moment, when it will have the most impact. If you have an awesome demo, which at this point, you should, let your product speak for itself. Show how it solves that customer pain point or industry problem in a unique way. Relate back to your central character and how with the help of your product, you can solve their existing problem.

Practice, Practice, Practice:

Rehearse your story with different audiences and get feedback from people with different perspectives. This will help you refine your pitch and prepare for any scenario. You want to practice with a wide array of audiences. Chances are we all have people in our lives that fill different roles. We all have hype men/women that will build us up no matter what we pitch to them. They will point out things that were great and gloss over the things that weren't. We also likely have cynical friends that poke holes in all of your good ideas.

The point here is that the more different types of people that you can share your story with, the more prepared you are going to be for showtime. You'll know your product inside and out and will have practiced so many times that the presentation comes naturally. You'll be able to pause for questions, handle interruptions, and pivot without stress because you know each and every point you need to make. This will allow you to reserve some mental capacity for answering critical questions without derailing your pitch.

Take some time preparing for changes in schedule as well. What may have originally been scheduled for a 30 minute meeting may need to be cut down do to changing priorities. I always try to have a full, 5 minute version, and an elevator pitch ready just in case. You'll likely be making this pitch to more than one person, and depending on the circumstances, you want to make sure you still make your critical points.

The Power of Storytelling

In conclusion, the art of storytelling is a powerful tool that can help you convince others to take a chance on you, your idea, or your business. By incorporating the elements of a great story into your pitch, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience and sets you apart from the crowd. Remember to convince yourself first, cast a central character, find an earned secret, make it feel inevitable, flip outsiders to insiders, show don't tell, and practice, practice, practice.

With these techniques, you'll be well on your way to crafting a story that inspires, motivates, and connects with others. So, take the time to develop your storytelling skills and watch your ideas come to life. Whether you're pitching to investors, customers, or colleagues, the ability to tell a great story can make all the difference in achieving your goals and realizing your vision.