A couple of posts ago I share some insights from Gair Maxwell’s “Big Little Legends.” In the book, he writes about something near and dear to my heart – storytelling. However, the challenge for many is just getting the chance to tell your story.
So, how do you stand out in a lookalike world, where everyone is saying the same thing?
Some try yelling louder than everyone else. Generally not very effective.
Some tout their awards, cutting edge technology, best in breed this, or state of the art that. But, if everyone is saying they are the best, then how does your audience pick you out?
What about opening with something unexpected, maybe even counterintuitive? A story that isn’t designed to sell, but designed to grab the attention of your audience so they’ll sit up and say, “Hey, maybe this is something worth checking out.” After all, you just want your chance at the plate.
There are some time-tested ways to grab the attention of your audience. My colleagues at Corporate Visions call them – shockingly – Grabbers!
Grabbers are not designed to make a sale. They are designed to get your audience to lean into what you have to say next because it’s going to be something worth remembering.
While there are many types of grabbers, I’ll share ideas on two of them. Both are the same in their design, one uses numbers and one uses words. In either case, you must first decide on the business point you want to make. Then you construct a simple, short, concise story using either numbers or words to drive your point home.
A Number Play uses three numbers (the power of three) to make your point. The numbers don’t have to be from your industry, they just need to work together to make your point.
Words in Common is the exact same idea, but using words rather than numbers as the anchor of your story.
Check out the video below for a quick example of each. In the video, I’ll set up the scene and then share the grabber. When used, you won’t set up the scene, you’ll just tell your story.
I’m sure after you see these it will spark some ideas that you can use in your own business.
Grabbers like this are very effective as break-in emails, voice mails, or video email messages. I’ve also seen, and used them myself, to great benefit as part of proposals or RFP responses. They cause your audience to want to learn more, and then you have your chance to tell your story.
Have fun, happy storytelling, and if you’d like to learn more, click HERE or call me at (414) 375-0253
