Book Nook: Stories That Stick - How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business

Every day, organizations and the people within them are under pressure to motivate sales teams and win customers away from competitors. Business leaders struggle to make genuine connections and when the stakes are the highest, they rely on the substandard but generally acceptable tools they know, like infographics and PowerPoints, to engage audiences. But they neglect to utilize the one resource that makes the most difference and that, whether they realize it or not, they all have access to: stories. 

In Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business [HarperCollins Leadership, September 24, 2019] storytelling advisor, coach, nationally-known speaker and author, Kindra Hall, MA demonstrates how the moment you take control of your stories, you take control of your business and your life. With case studies, company profiles, and anecdotes backed with original research, Hall presents storytelling as the underutilized talent that separates the good from the best in business. She offers specific, actionable steps readers can take to find, craft, and leverage the stories they already have and simply aren’t telling. With Hall’s guidance, speakers, executives, non-profit organizations, salespeople, and more will learn to capture attention, close more sales and build better brands through the fine art of strategic storytelling.   

“Stories are the ultimate influencer,” says Hall. “Storytelling is essential in business, no matter your role, no matter your industry. Whether you’re in operations or sales, at the top of the hierarchy or the very bottom working your way up, storytelling will make you more compelling, engaging, or persuasive. Stories make the data matter, your marketing efforts worth it, and make you better. All you need to do is tap into this power and learn the strategic skill of storytelling. Then, you, your team and your company will become irresistible.”

Through Stories That Stick, Hall reveals the four unique stories every organization has at their disposal—even if they don’t know it yet— and explains how professionals can use them to differentiate, captivate, and elevate:

• The Value Story, to convince customers they need what you provide
• The Founder Story, to persuade investors and customers your organization is worth the investment
• The Purpose Story, to align and inspire your employees and internal customers
• The Customer Story, to allow those who use your product or service to share their authentic experiences with others

“A perfectly placed, impeccably delivered story can transport a person to a place beyond interested, straight past paying attention, and into a state of complete captivation,” adds Hall. “The ‘Oh no, I just missed my exit,’ kind. The shift a story can make has a profound impact on business. It turns customers into converts. It transforms employees into evangelists. Executives into leaders. It changes the nature and impact of marketing, and perhaps most importantly, it can change how we see ourselves.”

About the Author:

Kindra Hall, MA is President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today's communication challenges. She is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers trusted by global brands (including Facebook, Hilton Hotels, Tyson Foods, Target, Berkshire Hathaway and Harvard Medical School) to deliver presentations and trainings that inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products and their individuality through strategic storytelling.

A National Champion storyteller and former member of the Board of Directors of the National Storytelling Network, Hall has her master's degree in communications where she conducted original research studying the role of storytelling in defining and revealing organizational culture. She is a former Director of Marketing and VP of Sales, and has been published at Entrepreneur.com, was a weekly columnist at Inc., and is a contributing editor to Success.

Hall lives in Manhattan with her husband, young son and daughter. When she is not traveling around the world speaking, Hall can usually be found at spin class or in Central Park with her family.

Connect with Kindra Hall on Instagram @kindrahall, LinkedIn @KindraHall, Twitter @kindramhall and Facebook @kindrahallfan, and visit kindrahall.com.

Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business is available September 24, 2019 in hardback, e-book and audiobook through Amazon and other retailers.