Telling Your Story and Southwest Airlines
Quick story for you.
I was flying back last night from Chicago via Southwest Airlines. After we landed, there was a long taxi to get to the gate - and to pass the time, everyone was talking to each other (it was actually pretty loud).
About a minute into the taxi the Southwest flight attendant asked if anyone wanted to hear a story. Within 10 seconds, over 100 people were completely quiet, and so, she told the story.
Once upon a time there as a man and a woman.
The man was in love with the woman.
So, the man asked the woman to marry him.
The woman said no.
And she lived happily ever after.
After much laughter, the flight attendant said "wait, the man ended up happy as well. He moved back in with his mother."
The Importance of Story
All people, consumer buyers and business buyers, love stories. We had all kinds of people on the Southwest flight, and every one of them were quiet so they could here the story. A story engages, it uplifts, it persuades.
Whether you are Barack Obama or an automotive parts distributor, you need a story to accomplish your business goals. Whether you want to inform or entertain, you need a story to do it.
And, for the first time ever, I attended a media/publishers conference this week where one of the main topics was (wait for it) - helping customers "tell their story" (rather then peddle them space). For those of you not familiar with the inner-workings of b-to-b publishing, this occurrence runs a close second to the invention of the phonograph and Tootsie Rolls.
Buyers listen to stories. They listen to stories unlike anything else today.
Most of the passengers ignored everything the flight attendant said before, during and after the flight...but when she mentioned the "story" they stopped and listened. Harnessing and distributing what your business story is may be the most important thing you can do over the next few months.
Learn how to tell your story, because if you don't, chances are your customers won't listen to anything else.
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