In 2010, I watched the same movie 7 days in a row.

Seven! Days!

The story was so good, I simply couldn’t help it.

I had to dissect it, pull at every single strand, let it all unfold and crawl inside the filmmaker’s mind.

Each day I watched it I noticed something I missed before.

The subtleties became clearer and I interpreted the ending completely differently than I did when I watched it the first time.

My 17-year-old self was in awe of the frame narrative.

The movie is a real mindf*ck.

It was created by none other than Christopher Nolan, one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

(definitely go and check out Inception if you haven’t yet)

You see, today Storytelling has become a buzz word…

Being misused by every Marketer, expert and coach out there.

“YoU nEeD sToRyTeLlInG”

Yes, you do. But you can’t just tell any random story and expect an influx of customers.

First, you need to understand WHY stories are so powerful.

We use them to:

• make sense of the world

• express, connect, feel, relate and foster empathy

• understand, learn and memorize

When we encounter a good story our brains release oxytocin. (the “cuddle hormone” responsible for emotional connection)

But that’s not all…

We also tend to create stories so it’s easier for our brains to process information.

This is called the Narrative Bias.

Our brain creates a narrative to link the different inputs together…

And it drops other facts that do not fit into the story.

That’s also why we LOVE anecdotes.

Bottom line: Stories sell.

It’s the reason Walt Disney was able to build a billion-dollar empire.

It’s responsible for turning a single mother on benefits into the richest author in the world.

It's why Taylor Swift has become one of the most influential people of our time.

If you’re able to tell stories that make others want to be a part of your world so badly that they create a whole movement around it…

Then you have the key to success and never-ending riches. (and maybe even immortality, who knows🤷‍♀️)

Congratulations you’ve now officially “made it”.

And no, you don’t have to write the next Harry Potter.

All you have to do is become a master at telling stories that your ideal client can relate to.

Connect with them…

Make them FEEL…

And watch them run down your door to buy from you.

This, ladies and gents, is effective Storyselling.

And all billion-dollar brands are using it to their advantage.

Take Spotify for example…

These ads are relevant and highly relatable because of the stories they tell.

If this all has you itching to have a stab at including storytelling in your Marketing…

Then stay tuned for Part II where I’ll give ya some tips on how to get started.

In the meantime, go watch Inception. You won’t regret it. ;)