Making Storytelling for Business Easy: Add the Element of Surprise

I love seeing movies. It's one of my favorite leisure activities, but sometimes I'm extremely disappointed. The other day I watched one that fell flat as an airless balloon.

Maybe it's happened to you. There's a new release and the trailers make it look really good. In this case, it's a comedy with a cast that should be fantastic. The plot looks fun and you think you're about to be entertained.

But this film failed me.

Why?

Because after less than 2 minutes, I already spun out the entire plot for the movie. Oh sure, I missed some of the slapstick elements, but I knew exactly what to expect throughout the movie.

As you can imagine, this made for an unsatisfying evening. Has this ever happened to you? I'm sure it has.

I love to be taken by surprise. I especially love it when a story takes turns I do not expect. Don't you?

I love it when I think a movie or a song or a story is going in a particular direction only to find out it's more like that Monty Python sketch, "And now for something completely different."

Anytime you're telling a story, you want to add an element of surprise. A twist or turn that the reader may not anticipate. That's how you capture someone's attention and captivate them.

Recently, I watched a YouTube video of a young woman named Erin Murray, who wrote this piece of music. She is dressed formally, as one might expect for a stage performance. The music begins, sad and sweet, and she starts to sing what sounds as if it iss going to be about lost love. She starts with these words: "So you say you're leaving...leaving me alone."

Watch out for that unique twist that comes a short way into the song. You're fooled into thinking you'll hear a sad ballad about a forlorn lover. Soon you will find yourself eyes wide in surprise, and perhaps mouth covered in shock.

What happens next is a little like paying a visit to the Twilight Zone... She starts singing about taxidermy. One of the lines is, "I'll put you in the parlor and you'll always be mine. I'll put a Santa hat on you come Christmas time. Baby, I love you."

And it gets funnier from there.

Watch the music video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m9w-OZYQTQ.

You think you're about to hear a sad song and instead will most likely find yourself laughing and thinking, "I can't believe she just SANG that!"

What this singer-songwriter accomplishes has a terrific storytelling lesson for you. because you want to keep your audience involved. "Audience" has a broad interpretation in business (and indeed in life as well).

Your audience might be a person reading an article, an individual in a coaching session, someone reading your book, a small group at a meeting, or a live audience of dozens, hundreds or thousands. Realize that even a group is composed of individuals hearing or reading your story inside the privacy of their own experience.

Stories belong everywhere -

* on your blog
* in emails
* in articles
* in your info products (like ebooks & special reports)
* in your copywriting
* in your books
* in your coaching/mentoring
* on stage
* in meetings
* ..... you get the idea!

Think of ways to surprise people. Startle them (not necessarily in such a shocking way as this example). Cause them to set their cell phones down and pay attention to you because you've done something unexpected. This will make you a better storyteller.

My experience is that people don't think of themselves as good storytellers. The idea alone tends to trip people up simply because you aren't sure what kind of story to share.

So I'll make it easy for you.

FIguring out What Story to Tell

This may surprise you, but It's easy to decide what kind of story to tell when you begin with the outcome in mind. The first question you want to ask yourself has to do with the goal.

1. What's the desired end result?

2. Who is the intended audience?

3. How will you "move" the story receiver emotionally?

4. How will you surprise the person reading or listening to your story?

5. What do you want your audience to do next?

Save these questions for yourself in a special file and answer them anytime you are writing a story or figuring out which one to tell in a live situation. This will help you be intentional about what you share, and therefore you will attain better results than if you simply "wing it" or tell a trite tale with a blatant message.


------

Effortlessly connect with all the right people using the 1 story common to everyone on Earth. Claim your multimedia mini-course on storytelling for business & personal growth at http://www.profitablestorytelling.com .

Ronda Del BOccio is an award-winning author, international columnist, transformational storyteller and mentor. She teaches authors, coches and entrepreneurs worldwide how to connect with anyone through the power of storytelling.