Guest Blog: "Storytelling" by Sarah LeJeune

Storytelling | Seek First Productions 

First of all, I really dislike blogging. I enjoy reading blogs, but I actually don’t like writing them myself. Why? Because in person, I can tell a story like nobody’s business. It’s my forte. I love telling stories.  Luckily, I’m in the right business, because at Seek First that’s what we do; we’re storytellers.

 

In the office when we’re conceptualizing ideas for a commercial, or creating a pitch tape, or scripting a corporate video, we try to think of story ideas first. How can we sell this product with a story? What would be a good story arc for this character?

I first fell in love with storytelling when I became an actress at the age of 11 in Nashville, and being an actress has significantly impacted the way I work as a producer and editor, and vice versa. Starting out early in my life analyzing characters, plots, and themes as an actress has allowed me to think outside of the box when it comes to storytelling. But why is storytelling so important, even in marketing and business? Think of the word “STORY” as an acronym.

STAY ENGAGED. Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Stories are a great way to keep your audience entertained while you relay the information to them. Not only that, but we all know when we’re being sold something, we can smell it from a mile away. For me personally, when I hear a sales pitch starting, I generally shut off my listening skills and the information freely passes in one ear and out the other. If someone starts telling me a story, however, I find myself more willing to listen to what they have to say.

TAKE IT TO HEART. When presenting a story, you are sharing an experience with the audience and they are much more likely to create their own or compare it to their own experiences, thus taking your story and product to heart.

ONE OF A KIND. Selling your product with a story sets it apart from the competition. It creates a unique branding for your product, allowing audiences to easily remember and recall the information presented to them.

RELAY THE INFORMATION. Reliving a story is easier than trying to list off facts you’ve just heard. Your audience is much more likely to not only remember the story, but they’re much more likely to actually share and pass the story along to others.

YEARN FOR MORE. Have you ever been to a movie where the movie ended and you thought, “Wait! I want to see more!” You can thank the power of good storytelling for that. The same concept applies here.  With good storytelling, you entice an audience and then leave them wanting more, leading them to your website or other media forms.

Storytelling is the most basic form of entertainment and it can transport audiences to another place and often, another time. As a storyteller, you have the opportunity to be in control of the experience you create for your audience. Create something unique that will keep them engaged and in the end wanting more.

Sarah LeJeune
Producer/Project Manager

Seek First Productions

www.seekfirstproductions.com