In the dynamic world of business, the art of story-selling has undergone a profound transformation. No longer can a mere presentation of facts and figures captivate the minds and hearts of investors, partners, or potential customers. In this hypercompetitive era of message bombardment, storyselling has emerged as the currency of persuasion, and a well-crafted pitch serves as your narrative canvas.
In this article, we will delve into the essential elements of developing a compelling pitch deck that not only conveys information but weaves it into a story that resonates, engages, and ultimately converts your audience.
Welcome to the world of selling through stories, where your pitch becomes the vehicle for a captivating journey of your business's past, present, and future.
To persuade your audience as a communicator, you must craft a sales-worthy narrative that involves a delicate balance of elements that appeal to both the rational (hard numbers) and emotional (heart points) sides of your audience.
Think of it as a tapestry woven from five fundamental threads: Mythos, Ethos, Logos, Pathos, and Kentron. These are five Greek words that mean – culture, credibility, logic, emotion, and centralisation.
Each of these elements plays a crucial role in not only capturing your audience's attention but also compelling them to take action. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into each of these storyselling components and explore how they can be effectively integrated into your storytelling strategy, transforming your message from mere information into a compelling narrative that leaves a lasting impact.
First, Mythos or Cultural Fit in Storyselling
Define your audience and the problems you are seeking to solve for them.
Here are some questions to guide you along: Who am I speaking to or sharing this information with? Is this the correct target audience who will be interested in my product/service/what I am sharing?
Second, Ethos or Crediibility Fit in Storyselling
Show proof that you have helped someone in the similar industry or vein, and to substantiate with numbers/evidence.
Here are some questions to guide you along: What benefits have I brought and what did the outcomes look like? What were the figures like before my product/service was used and what are the figures looking like now? Am I able to translate that into percentage terms across a period of time to quantify the benefits?
Third, Logos or Logic Fit in Storyselling
Showcase - either general industry trends, actual working models/tested prototypes or testimonials.
Here are some questions to guide you along: Can I demonstrate the use of this product/service through a video or in person? What has the trend been in the market from people who use similar products/services? Has there been a growth in interest? What have others who used the product/service said about it?
Fourth, Pathos or Emotional Fit in Storyselling
Find an angle to connect emotionally.
Here are some questions to guide you along: What is one thing about your story that the audience can relate to at the “heart” level? You have provided them with the “hard numbers”, so connect with them at the heart.
Fifth - Kentron or Centralisation in Storyselling
Distil everything into a concise pitch that you can rattle off in a short period of time.
Take a practice and try it out. This may well be a game changer for you!
*If you need someone to come alongside you in the area of preparing a pitch deck or a speech, reach out to us at hello@sylnjas.com.
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