Emotion – the power behind great story

Think back to high school. What do you remember? For some, it’s just a blur. For others, certain things are clearly memorable and other are not.  Do you remember English, Botany or Spanish class? Maybe, but how about the details?  Can you recall the themes of English papers, the science textbook on Mosses, Ferns and Liverworts, or conjugating Spanish verbs? Not likely.

Now, remember who you went to the prom with, or the time your friend got into trouble? Absolutely, and I bet you can describe it in detail, too. These events emotionally engaged you. Mosses, ferns and liverworts (much to your Botany teacher’s dismay) did not.

Bottom line, emotionally rich topics that can be played back in story are memorable. Far more memorable than rote facts and figures. Yet, today we still see businesses trying to grow by pushing facts and figures that aren’t memorable and certainly aren’t emotionally engaging either.

Think about the best videos you’ve seen online or Super Bowl TV ads – the good ones are emotionally based, even intoxicating.

 

They all sell by telling stories that emotionally move you. You remember them. You replay them in your mind and then tell them to others. Your attachment increases. You are enticed to embrace the brands and take action, which is more than I can say for the Mosses, Ferns and Liverworts textbook. Couldn’t they at least change the title? Something like “Fast ferns and times at ___________High.”

Tell us a story.