Storytelling

I recently had the supreme honour and privilege of attending and presenting at the IABC World Conference in Vancouver #IABC19

One of the tremendous benefits of being a presenter is that you are invited to attend any and all of the other sessions!

The Hyatt Regency Vancouver is a 5 minute walk to the seawall, so I made it my goal to start every morning with a run … easy when your body is 3 hours ahead of west coast time!

My runs were breathtaking (both literally and figuratively) … it had been a few weeks since I had strapped on the shoes!!

The keynotes and the breakout sessions that I attended were packed with new learning and fresh faces. It was like going back to school … only this time it was my choice! I devoured every minute of it!

The experience in Vancouver made a huge impact on me. In fact, it fueled the content of this blog which looks at the incredible advantages of offsite learning.

So many things happen when you take learning offsite!

Focus – People are more focused and therefore learn more effectively when they are away from the office. They are not distracted by phones or emails throughout the day.

Engaged – When learning takes place away from the office, a change of scenery has a very positive effect. Engagement is higher which helps everyone get the most out of the sessions.

Networking – Offsite learning often provides more space to run larger sessions including people from other businesses, departments or teams. This is great for networking and teamwork. It also improves the learning experiences, when people can share advice and ideas on what works best for them.

… And of course I get it that when it comes to budgets, every penny counts! So, you must ensure that every participant learns as much as possible, and retains the learning.  

Studies have revealed that 90% of new learning is lost within a year. So yes, the environment in which the learning is delivered is paramount to retention.

It doesn’t have to be a view of snow-capped mountains in Vancouver, but please try your best to avoid the windowless training room in your offices!

Photos courtesy of IABC

If it’s time to ramp up your team’s innovation and collaboration abilities – we can help! Contact us today. 

Marilyn

We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.

For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. OR see us in action on YouTube and Instagram!

So what?! These 2 words are a really big deal for me.

I wish this question/these 2 words were a really big thing for more people, particularly in business!

When you are in a meeting, giving a presentation, sending an e-mail or telling a story, it is imperative to ask yourself the question … So What?!

It sounds incredibly simple and basic, but you would be amazed at how infrequently we all stop and think ‘So What?!’

To grab the attention of consumers, you have to stand out. And the way to stand out is to make sure your brand story can answer the question ‘So What?!’

At their most basic level, brand stories are your unique connection to your audience. No one wants to read a laundry list of great brand attributes. Anyone can do that, and it’s really boring.

Start by outlining some baseline facts about your business and the brand. The deeper you dive into this exercise, the more ideas will float to the top.

1. Who are you?
2. What do you do?
3. How and why you do what you do?

Dig deep and look for interesting pieces of the answers that make you unique and able to tell a story that no one else can tell.

Contrary to popular belief, brand storytelling is not about your company. It’s about your customers and the value that they get when engaging with your product or service.

The most powerful brand stories are the ones that prioritize customers as the stars.

 ‘Land Rover’s campaign offers a brilliant example and a reminder that the best stories are not your own, but those of your customers and your fans. Sourcing those stories might be tough, but when you find those that truly touch people’s hearts, invest in bringing them to life and prioritize them over your product message.’

My story in starting this business began with being laid off by BBDO. Yeah … so what? What makes the story captivating and memorable is not what happened, but how it made me feel. In my case, it made me feel like I had fallen on the ground so hard that the wind had been knocked out me … literally … I was gasping for breath.

The same is true for brand stories. Brand storytelling doesn’t have to be complex but it does have to be emotional … and it does have to be real, human, and most of all answer the question ‘So What?!’

If it’s time to ramp up your team’s storytelling skills and sales abilities – we can help! Contact us today. 

Marilyn

We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment down below or tag us on social media.

For brainstorming tips, presentation and storytelling skills, or keynote speaking pointers be sure to follow Barefoot Brainstorming on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. OR see us in action on YouTube and Instagram!