Today, Dan Manning joins us on the pod.
Dan spent a career in the Air Force, where he was an A-10 fighter pilot, military diplomat, and speechwriter at the Pentagon.
But now…he's a master storyteller for his company, Build The Story.
And Dan has built a business working with founders, coaches, consultants and executives to help them tell the stories that their audiences need to hear.
We all know intuitively that stories are powerful vehicles for selling ideas and inspiring people to action.
But most founders don’t know what stories to tell or how to tell them.
That’s why I asked Dan to join us on the Systematic Selling Podcast.
He shares with us the three stories every founder needs in their toolbox.
And he shows us how to *build* those stories for maximum impact.
So, get ready for a master class on entrepreneurial storytelling on Episode 13 of the Systematic Selling Podcast.
Key Takeaways
The Value of Storytelling in Business:
Stories are powerful tools for communicating ideas, building trust, and driving action.
Well-crafted stories can help founders and businesses connect with their audiences, convey their value proposition, and ultimately drive sales growth.
The Three Core Stories Every Founder Needs:
The Founder's Origin Story: Explains how the founder identified and solved a particular problem, leading to the creation of their venture.
The Customer Success Story: Highlights how a customer faced a specific challenge and how the founder's product or service helped them overcome it and achieve success.
The Vision Story: Paints a picture of the future the founder envisions for their business, inspiring their team and customers to join them on that journey.
The Structure of a Compelling Story:
Preamble: A short hook that captures the audience's attention and sets expectations for the story.
Before: The backstory or context that sets the stage for the challenges and transformation.
Challenges: The pain points, struggles, or obstacles faced by the protagonist (often the founder or customer).
Change: The pivotal moment or event that catalyzed the transformation from struggle to success.
Resolution: The positive outcome or desired state achieved after the change, highlighting the value proposition.
Meaning: The key takeaway or lesson the audience should derive from the story.
The Importance of Starting with Pain Points:
Successful stories resonate by addressing the audience's pain points or challenges first, rather than leading with the solution or product.
People are more motivated to take action to alleviate pain than to pursue potential gains.
The Process of Crafting Stories:
Dan emphasizes the importance of collaborating with clients to uncover the authentic moments of change that drive their stories.
He starts by identifying the desired action or outcome and then works backward to construct the narrative around the pivotal moment of change.
The Power of Simplicity and Clarity:
Dan's approach to storytelling favors simplicity, directness, and clarity over complexity or embellishment.
His stories aim to be unmistakable in their meaning and easily understood by the audience.
Additional Insights:
Dan's diverse experiences, from flying fighter jets to working as a military diplomat and speechwriter, honed his communication skills and ability to connect with different audiences.
His time learning Russian and navigating cultural differences reinforced the importance of simplicity, empathy, and tailoring messages to the audience's understanding.
Storytelling follows a similar structured approach to programming, with a formula and clear components that work together to achieve the desired outcome.
Dan emphasizes the importance of capturing the audience's interest, not just their attention, to keep them engaged and receptive to the story's message.
Overall, this episode provides you with valuable insights into the art of storytelling for business and highlights the critical role narratives play in connecting with audiences, building trust, and driving action.
The Bottom Line
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I’ll leave you with this:
Always remember…When you fix your systems, you’ll fix your sales.
See you next time!
Sean
About the Host: Sean M. Lyden is the founder and CEO of Lyden Communications LLC, an Orlando, Florida-based sales training and media company for founders looking to systematize their sales and scale their business.
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