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 Stories are powerful. The news comes in stories, and entertainment does, too. Politicians seek to control the narrative, lawyers lay out a compelling account of events, and fashion brands strive to tell a story.
When we want to find out something, we ask, “What’s the story?” Stories are how we understand what is going on.
Every business can benefit from telling a story with all the right elements.
What are the elements of stories?
Stories have five elements:
- Characters are who is involved in the situation—protagonists and antagonists.
- Settings are where and when the events take place.
- Conflicts are why events take place—forces in opposition:
- Person versus self
- Person versus person
- Person versus society
- Person versus machine
- Person versus nature
- Person versus the supernatural
- Plot is what happens, a series of events that builds toward a climax and resolution.
- Theme is how the story relates to life.
Do you notice the 5 W’s and H—who, what, where, when, why, and how? Journalists use these questions to make sure they are getting a complete story. You, too, can use these questions as you create stories for your business.
What do readers want from stories?
Relatable Characters
We all are the heroes of our own stories, so we like to relate to the protagonists of a tale. We might relate because they are like us in some way—or because they are what we wish we were. Protagonists need antagonists—the people or forces that oppose the protagonist.
Effective Settings
More than just a backdrop, the setting of your story helps establish its meaning. A perfume commercial shows a beautiful actress moving through a party of the rich and famous only to dive into her patio pool. That setting sells a fragrance you can’t smell on TV.
Compelling Conflict
If we relate to the protagonist, we want the person to succeed. The conflict is whatever stands in the way of the protagonist, sometimes an actual antagonist. Therein lies the dramatic tension of the story.
Rising Plot
The conflict needs to progress through a series of events, each with higher stakes, to reach a climactic point. This is the point where the conflict is decided. Afterward follows a resolution, telling what happens following the story.
Real-Life Theme
The story should make a difference one way or another in actual life. For advertisements, the theme is often “our product or service will make your life better.” The theme is the underlying meaning of the story.
What kind of stories work in business?
Tim: Please float right the following image: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Po8Yd6RtBkQmA9Hrq1ScKP1N3ygaPkH-/view?usp=sharing
Stories come in all sizes, from long, involved incident reports to a single snarky tweet.
This tweet has all the elements: Tom Brady (character) in a recent football game (setting) dropping a ball (conflict) that antagonists recovered (plot)—a story told by Butterfinger Candy Bar to promote their brand (theme).
Now, we would not recommend snarky tweets for most brands, though this story works for Butterfinger, who already have Bart Simpson as a spokesperson.
Tim: Please float right the following image: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G9Gy_ibVGrYfCaYgmdllDn7HlVVtqw6z/view?usp=sharing
Here’s another little story, told in a customer tweet and a humorous reply.
Note what these mini-stories are doing. They entertain, but they also set a tone for the brand—the smartalecky Butterfinger or the goofy Burger King. And they create free advertising as these images are retweeted and featured in blog posts and newsletters, like this one!
So, when you tell a story in business writing, think about what you want the story to do.
What can stories do in business writing?
Stories can do many different things—often simultaneously—for you and your business:
- Create human connections. A story can evoke an emotional response such as admiration or empathy.
- Make ideas memorable. A good story sticks with readers—and they pass it along to others.
- Build brand identity. Stories have tone and attitude that help establish the feel of a brand.
- Entertain. As superbowl commercials demonstrate, a funny story can be the best advertising.
- Explain. A story can show what happens and why.
- Persuade. A story can convince you to believe something or take action.
- Provide context. A story can explain what led up to the current situation, and what may follow it.
Whatever you need to do in business, a story can help you do it. To honor a retiring colleague, you can tell stories about the person’s long service. To teach a new person about a project, you can tell how it came to be and how it is progressing. To convince someone to take action, you can tell the story of a bad situation that occurred once and could occur again.
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