For business owners or Sales reps this little phrase has been passed down for many generations; Stories sell, Facts only tell. The most important part of any presentation is you telling your story of why you started your business – in 2 minutes or less – because that’s what people will remember.
Daniel Pink, the author of many books on how we humans process thoughts writes in A Whole New Mind, “Story represents a pathway to understanding that doesn’t run through the left side of the brain.” People can more easily recognize patterns and make meaning from seemingly non-related events and information thru a story line vs a series or list of facts.
Marco Iacoboni, neuroscientist, writes in his book, Mirroring People; “Why do we give ourselves over to emotion during the carefully crafted, heartrending scenes in certain movies? Because mirror neurons in our brains re-create for us the emotional distress we see on the screen. We have empathy for the fictional characters – we know how they’re feeling – because we literally experience the same feelings ourselves.”
John Medina, molecular biologist explains in his new book, Brain Rules; “When the brain detects an emotionally charged event, the Amygdala releases dopamine into the system. Because dopamine greatly aids memory and information processing, you could say it creates a ‘Post It’ note that reads, ‘Remember this because it’s important.’”
In other words, we don’t just listen to stories; we see images and feel emotions. We actually experience the story as if it’s happening to us. And because a person can remember the story, they can remember your key point which then can be transformed into an actionable event called making a “sale”.
Tomorrow; More proof – Stories Sell
Live With Intention,
Dr Bill