influence
13 posts
Storytelling For The Rest Of Us
Every decision you’ve ever made was influenced by a story—every single one. From the decision about whether to wear a mask during a pandemic, to the charities you choose to support. A story you heard, the story you believed or that story you told yourself, had an impact on those choices. If stories
On Influence
Many of us go through life feeling powerless to change things. After all, not everyone has leadership status or power conferred upon them. We sometimes believe that influence is a top-down construct—that we can have the most influence from a position of authority. Let’s challenge that assumption. Th
What Great Storytellers Know
Think about the last time you were influenced or persuaded by a message. What was it that changed your mind, opened your heart or compelled you to act? I can guarantee it wasn’t facts or data alone. The most effective way to move people to act is by telling them a story. These past weeks,…
How To Save A Story
I had so much fun talking about how to save a story, with my friend and colleague Michael Bungay Stanier on his new podcast. Some of the things we talked about were: The anatomy of a great story Building resilience, trust, and connection through everyday storytelling Why storytelling allows you to n
Influence Vs. Impact
In a world where attention has become both currency and commodity, it’s tempting to believe there’s a direct correlation between influence and impact. The modern definition of an influencer is someone who can persuade people with their recommendations. But it turns out, the people who have the great
Persuade On Purpose, With Purpose
If we’re in the business of making things that change people’s lives for the better, we must master the art of persuasion and help people to make decisions they’re glad about.
Say It With Intention
Communication is not just an exchange of information, it’s also an exchange of intention. We’re never just speaking or writing the words to be heard, we’re always trying to make ourselves understood.
How To Tell A Story Using The Story Scaffold
There’s no question that stories are the best way to engage and persuade people. We have good scientific evidence to prove it. According to neuroeconomist, Professor Paul Zak, ‘Narratives that cause us to pay attention and also involve us emotionally are the stories that move us to action.’ It’s our
Change Is A Human Act
We mistakenly believe that changemaking and persuasion are only about getting someone’s attention by creating awareness of an issue or option, and then presenting people with rational arguments that will convince them to make choices we find desirable. But both the science and what we witness in the
Bridging The Change Gap
We know that attention is the first essential step on the path to influencing others. We also know it’s not possible to inspire people to act or to create change with attention alone. There’s always a gap between gaining awareness, enabling action and gaining traction. You can buy attention, but you
The Stages Of Change
If you’ve ever tried to quit a bad habit or establish a new one, you know that change takes time. When it comes to creating change in our own lives, we cut ourselves some slack because we know that change is a process. And yet when it comes to our customers, we impatiently hurry them…
When Did Marketing Become About Telling?
In the village marketing was always about showing. Quality was demonstrated and trust was earned. As we outgrew the village and our small circles of trust and influence marketing became about telling. Loyalty was bought and exposure was paid for. But our digital connectedness is taking us back. Back
The Two Approaches To Marketing
All marketing uses two basic approaches. When I was growing up and maybe when you were too, marketers used ‘The Influence Method’. 1. The Influence Method Make a product. Create an advertising campaign, jingle or tagline to persuade people to want whatever you are selling. Increase sales. Make more
