Stepps (Stories)

6. Stories (for more detail see story-telling elsewhere in the Knowledge Base)

"...People don't share information, they tell stories......People don't think in terms of information. They think in terms of narratives......narratives are inherently more engrossing than basic facts.....they've capture your attention......Stories carry things. A lesson or a moral. Information or take-home message......Stories are an important sources of cultural learning that helps us make sense of the world..."
Jonah Berger, 2013

Stories can range from simple nursery rhymes like 'the boy who cried wolf', 'three little pigs', 'Cinderella', etc complicated plays like Shakespeare's which carry valuable lessons about character, relationships, power, madness, love, war, etc

People tell stories for the same reasons they share word-of-mouth, ie a way of transferring information

Alternatives (but less effective) techniques for acquiring information include

- experimentation or 'trial and error' (this can be extremely costly and time-consuming)

- direct observation (this can be extremely costly and time-consuming)

- advertisements (not necessarily trustworthy)

Fortunately, storytelling is the most effective as it provides

"...A quick and easy way for people to acquire lots of knowledge in a vivid and engaging fashion......Stories save time and hassle and give people the information they need in a way that's easy to remember.....Stories provide proof by analogy..."
Jonah Berger, 2013

Some strengths of personal stories:

- hard to disagree with, ie less likely to question

- are powerful persuaders, ie as they are personal

Stories need to be authentic to the most affective.

Stories allow information transfer under the guise of idle chatter

In storytelling it is important to

- make the idea or desired benefits a key part of the narrative

- have a broader, powerful narrative if this is possible