PDF Summary:The StorySelling Method, by Philipp Humm

In today's marketplace, the ability to convey captivating narratives can be a powerful selling tool. The StorySelling Method by Philipp Humm explores techniques for crafting and delivering compelling stories to drive sales conversations.

This guide delves into the essential elements of storytelling, from establishing personal connections with your audience to structuring your narrative for maximum impact. Humm also provides strategies for identifying opportunities to weave stories into your sales pitch and overcoming mental barriers that may hinder your storytelling confidence.

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• Focusing solely on unique stories of overcoming challenges may overlook the importance of routine excellence and the value of consistently meeting expectations without the need for extraordinary measures.
• In competitive environments, a balance between humility and self-promotion may be more effective than strictly adhering to one approach.

Narratives designed to address and overcome common buyer hesitations are referred to as Resistance Stories.

Tales of triumph focus on people who were initially reluctant to utilize your services but ultimately decided to do so and are now satisfied with their choice. These narratives are instrumental in reducing uncertainty and lessening reluctance among potential buyers. Humm emphasizes using them strategically when a specific objection arises.

Before you begin your narrative, make certain that you have a profound grasp of what is troubling the buyer. Inquire further to fully understand their reservations. Choose a story that demonstrates a client's journey from initial doubt to achieving positive results, despite having similar hesitations.

Context

• Resistance Stories leverage the psychological principle of social proof, where individuals look to others' experiences to guide their own decisions, especially when they are uncertain.
• These stories are most compelling when supported by data or testimonials, providing concrete evidence of the service's effectiveness and reliability.
• By showcasing real-life examples, these stories provide evidence that others have successfully overcome similar doubts, which can reassure potential buyers.
• This strategy is part of a broader sales technique known as consultative selling, where the focus is on meeting the buyer's needs rather than just pushing a product.
• It’s important to select a story that closely matches the specific concerns of the buyer to ensure relevance and maximize impact.

Amass a diverse collection of narrative concepts from multiple origins.

Humm acknowledges that not everyone possesses an innate collection of stories. He advises actively seeking out story inspirations from a multitude of sources to continuously broaden your narrative collection.

Reflect on previous accomplishments and interactions with clients.

Humm advises reflecting on one's own past experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned, to uncover potential material for storytelling. Seek out unique chances to showcase your unique value, provide unmatched assistance, or help clients attain substantial results.

Review previous engagements or refer to your customer relationship management system. Consider posing inquiries such as:

• What specific obstacles did the individual I was representing face?

• How did I facilitate their problem-solving process?

• What outcomes, both tangible and intangible, stem from our joint efforts?

• What unique tactics or solutions did I implement?

Other Perspectives

• Lessons learned from past experiences may not always be applicable to new situations, as each client and scenario is unique, and what worked once may not work again.
• There is a risk of violating client confidentiality when using past interactions as storytelling material, even if names and specific details are omitted.
• The pursuit of being unmatched in assistance could inadvertently create an unsustainable benchmark for service delivery that could lead to burnout or quality issues over time.
• This approach could inadvertently encourage a results-at-all-costs mindset, which might lead to cutting corners or overlooking the client's broader strategic goals.
• The data in CRM systems can sometimes be skewed by subjective input from different team members, which may not accurately reflect the true nature of client interactions or the success of engagements.
• Focusing solely on obstacles could inadvertently reinforce a negative mindset or relationship dynamic, where the emphasis is on problems rather than on the collaborative development of solutions and innovations.
• The approach of facilitating rather than directing can sometimes be less efficient, especially in situations where time is of the essence and decisive action is needed.
• Not all outcomes, especially intangible ones, can be directly attributed to joint efforts, as external factors may have significantly influenced the results.
• There may be regulatory or compliance issues that make unique solutions inappropriate or infeasible in certain industries or contexts.

Conduct interviews to uncover compelling stories from customers and coworkers.

Humm advocates for conducting interviews as a means to reveal narratives that might otherwise remain inaccessible. You could set up brief discussions with satisfied customers to delve into the impact your offering has had on their daily experiences, thereby deepening your insight into their individual narratives.

Additionally, leverage your network and interview colleagues who have compelling stories to share. Seek out individuals who have strong customer relationships, a knack for problem-solving, or a history of success with clients. Humm provides a list of potential questions for these interviews, guiding you towards uncovering rich, detailed stories.

Practical Tips

• Develop a feedback loop by asking customers to send a quick video testimonial of them using your product in their environment. Encourage them to highlight unexpected benefits or creative uses they've discovered. This can provide you with authentic insights into how your product fits into their lives and can be used to guide future enhancements.
• Start a peer recognition program that focuses on storytelling. Encourage your team to nominate colleagues who have compelling stories to tell about their work. Each month, select a nominee to present their story at a team meeting or through an internal newsletter. This not only highlights their achievements but also provides practical examples of success that others can learn from.

Establish a centralized narrative depository to simplify the storage and retrieval of stories.

Humm recommends creating a repository for collecting, structuring, and easily accessing your growing collection of stories. Consider using a basic spreadsheet, creating a document, or utilizing a specialized note-taking application.

Collect all the essential details relevant to each story.

• A succinct and catchy title

• Suitable contexts for applying the storytelling approach.

• Audience: The narrative ought to be tailored to align with the preferences of the intended audience.

• The central message or key insight

• The classification of narratives into five distinct categories.

• The story begins to unfold.

• A synopsis that encapsulates the narrative's essential components through bullet points.

Practical Tips

• Develop a narrative map of your life by plotting key events on a timeline using a free online timeline maker. This visual representation can help you see patterns and turning points in your life, and you can share this with others as a way to connect on a deeper level. You might include milestones like graduations, moves, significant relationships, and career changes, and you can update it as new events occur.
• Create a story bank using a spreadsheet to categorize and tag your personal stories for easy retrieval. Start by listing all the stories you can remember in a spreadsheet, assigning each a category (like "family," "work," "travel") and tags for key elements (like "humor," "lesson learned," "adventure"). This way, when you need a story for a specific occasion, you can quickly filter and find the most relevant ones.
• Start a voice memo diary on your phone to capture spontaneous stories and thoughts throughout your day. This is a personal and time-efficient way to gather your own stories without the need to write them down. You might record a funny incident that happened during your commute or an interesting conversation you overheard at a coffee shop. Later, you can transcribe these voice memos and organize them into categories.
• Optimize your household chores and responsibilities by setting up a shared online document or application with your family or housemates. In this shared space, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. This collaborative approach ensures everyone knows what needs to be done, promotes accountability, and can make managing a household more efficient and less chaotic.
• Engage in active observation sessions where you focus solely on gathering details from your environment. Spend 10 minutes in a public place like a park or a mall, and write down everything you notice: the way people interact, the weather, the sounds, the smells. This practice will sharpen your attention to detail and can be a valuable resource for recalling the vibrancy of everyday life when telling a story.
• When sending emails, especially those you want a response to, use a subject line that summarizes the email's content in a catchy way. This can increase the chances of your email being opened and addressed promptly. For instance, instead of a subject line saying "Meeting Request," you could write "10-Minute Pow-Wow to Propel Our Project!"
• You can observe and note down the interests of your friends during casual conversations to create personalized stories for them. When you're next sharing an experience or trying to persuade one of your friends, recall these interests and weave them into your narrative. For example, if a friend loves space exploration, and you're discussing environmental conservation, you might compare the need to protect Earth's environment to the importance of creating sustainable habitats on other planets.
• You can harness the power of social media to share your unfolding story by creating a dedicated hashtag for your journey and encouraging friends to contribute their perspectives. This creates a collaborative narrative that grows with each post, allowing you to see your story from multiple angles and understand its impact on your community.
• Create a habit tracker to monitor behaviors you want to change or develop, focusing on one small habit at a time. This can be as simple as a checklist on paper where you mark off each day you successfully complete the new habit. If you're trying to drink more water, for instance, check off each day you meet your hydration goal.

Building Storytelling Confidence

Humm recognizes that numerous people struggle to convey stories confidently, even though they have the right knowledge and skills. He tackles this challenge by detailing a strategy to transcend beliefs that constrain one's potential and underscores the significance of mental imagery in fostering assurance in storytelling.

Conquer the internal barriers that impede one's storytelling capabilities.

Humm underscores the significant influence that our convictions have on the way we act and conduct ourselves. He acknowledges that the ability of many people to craft narratives is often hindered by limiting beliefs that diminish their possibilities. Often, such convictions arise from previous encounters, detrimental inner dialogue, or the influence of societal norms. Humm outlines a four-stage process that scrutinizes and transforms restrictive convictions, instilling ones that empower us instead.

Identify negative thought patterns and challenge them with evidence-based counterarguments.

The first step one must take is to identify the specific narratives and negative notions. I frequently question if my ability to weave engaging narratives is adequate or whether my command of the English language is strong enough. Once you identify these negative thought patterns, challenge their validity. Reflect on posing significant questions to your own understanding:

• Is this belief a faithful reflection of reality?

• What proof can corroborate this assertion?

• Has anyone actually confirmed this to me?

• Is there any evidence that contradicts this belief?

By thoroughly analyzing the convictions that limit you, their impact can be progressively lessened.

Context

• Learning to regulate emotions can help in managing the impact of negative thoughts, reducing their intensity and frequency.
• The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections means that changing thought patterns can lead to lasting changes in behavior and mindset.
• This is the process of forming beliefs based on feelings rather than facts. Questioning beliefs helps separate emotions from objective reality.
• Persistent negative self-talk can lead to decreased self-esteem and increased anxiety, making it crucial to address and reframe these thoughts.
• Evaluating evidence for beliefs can lead to better decision-making, as it encourages a more rational and less emotionally-driven approach to problem-solving.
• By questioning and adjusting negative beliefs, individuals can build resilience, enhancing their ability to cope with challenges and setbacks.
• Constructive feedback from trusted individuals can offer new perspectives and evidence that challenge limiting beliefs.
• Consistently practicing this method can lead to long-term improvements in mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Incorporate perspectives that enhance your feeling of empowerment into your daily existence.

Begin to challenge the constraints you've placed on yourself and substitute them with beliefs that strengthen you. If you view your storytelling prowess as continually evolving, see it as a talent that grows with time, enhanced by the valuable experiences you bring to the table.

Establishing a mindset that is optimistic and supportive of progress forms the foundation for boosting confidence and advancing one's personal growth. Humm underscores the necessity of regularly reinforcing your newly adopted convictions. Start honing your narrative abilities in casual environments, like when you're with friends or relatives. As you become more self-assured, gradually increase the complexity of the stories you tell and broaden your audience.

Context

• Regular self-reflection can help individuals identify their self-imposed constraints and understand the root causes. This awareness is the first step in challenging and changing these limitations.
• This is the belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations. Building an optimistic mindset can enhance self-efficacy, leading to greater motivation and perseverance.
• Surrounding yourself with supportive people and environments can enhance the reinforcement process, as social feedback often influences personal beliefs.
• Casual environments encourage more natural and spontaneous interactions, which can help storytellers develop a more authentic and relatable style.
• Engaging with a broader audience necessitates an understanding of cultural differences and sensitivities, which can enrich the storytelling process and make it more inclusive.

Imagine the beneficial outcomes that come from using storytelling as a method of practice.

Humm advocates for the use of visualization to bolster confidence and alleviate anxiety. He contends that our comfort with storytelling grows and we begin to associate it positively when we vividly envision ourselves having success with the use of narratives.

Determine precise goals for integrating narrative techniques and vividly imagine the outcomes you intend to accomplish.

Determine your narrative objectives prior to initiating the development of visual components. What drives your choice of specific stories to share? What is the goal of the interaction – is it to initiate a rapport, solve an issue, or elicit a reaction? Visualize your successful attainment of a well-defined goal by engaging in persuasive storytelling.

Imagine the setting of the conversation, the individual you are interacting with, their reactions, and the positive outcome. Humm advises immersing oneself completely in the sensory details of the envisioned scenario, including visual, auditory, and emotional experiences.

Practical Tips

• Create a narrative challenge with friends where each person must share a story about a common experience, focusing on a different narrative technique each week. One week might focus on character development, another on building tension, and so on. This social exercise will not only make the learning process enjoyable but also provide immediate feedback and a variety of narrative styles to learn from.
• Create a vision board that represents your goals using magazine cutouts and drawings to make your imagined outcomes more tangible. By selecting images that resonate with your aspirations, you'll have a visual reminder of what you're working towards. For example, if you're aiming to travel, include pictures of your dream destinations, or if you're working towards a fitness goal, paste images of athletes who inspire you.
• Start a visual diary to track the evolution of your ideas. Before you begin any visual project, use a notebook or digital app to jot down the narrative you want to convey. This could be a story, a message, or an emotion. As you progress, keep adding notes on how this narrative could be visually represented, but don't start sketching yet. This process ensures that your narrative guides your visual choices.
• Use a journal to track the outcomes of your interactions based on different goals you set. After each conversation, jot down the goal you had in mind, what strategies you used to pursue it, and the outcome. Over time, you'll be able to identify patterns in what works well for you and what doesn't, allowing you to refine your approach to interactions and become more effective in achieving your conversational objectives.
• Experiment with ambient sound control to set the mood for your conversations. Use a sound machine or a playlist of background noises that can help simulate different environments. If you're discussing travel, play sounds of a bustling city or waves crashing to evoke the feeling of being in that place. This sensory addition can stimulate the imagination and make the conversation more vivid and memorable.
• You can enhance your empathy by practicing mirror exercises with a friend or family member. Sit face-to-face and mimic each other's facial expressions and body language for a few minutes each day. This can help you become more attuned to subtle emotional cues when you're interacting with others.
• Use your smartphone to set daily reminders with affirmations or positive outcome statements. These reminders can serve as prompts to take a moment and visualize the successful completion of your goals throughout the day. By regularly interrupting routine thoughts with these positive affirmations, you can gradually shift your mindset to be more outcome-focused.
• Transform your living space into a physical representation of your envisioned scenario for a week. If you're visualizing a tranquil and organized life, for example, declutter your home, play serene background music, and use aromatherapy with scents associated with calmness like lavender. This immersive experience can help solidify the emotional and sensory aspects of your vision.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and feelings of the envisioned storytelling experience.

The more vivid your mental pictures, the greater their influence will be. Imagine the details of the event's environment, pay attention to the expressions on the faces of your audience, and expect the positive reactions you will receive. Experience a surge of self-assurance as you narrate your tale. Humm offers a comprehensive guide that aids in envisioning the process, guaranteeing a deeply engaging experience.

Engaging in consistent mental imagery practices can alleviate stress by making you accustomed to various scenarios and fostering positive connections that link the art of storytelling with achievement and success.

Practical Tips

• Try building miniature models of event spaces you're planning to visit. Use simple materials like cardboard, paper, and markers to construct a physical representation of the venue. This hands-on activity can help you become more attuned to spatial layouts and details, which in turn can make your mental visualizations more accurate and immersive.
• Use video feedback as a tool for improvement by recording your speaking engagements. Afterward, watch the recording focusing solely on the audience's faces at various points in your speech. Take notes on when they seem most engaged or disinterested, and adjust your content or delivery accordingly for future presentations.
• You can practice expecting positive reactions by visualizing success before important interactions. Before a meeting or presentation, take a few minutes to close your eyes and vividly imagine the audience reacting positively to your words. Picture them nodding, smiling, and engaging with your content. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence and help manifest the positive outcome you're expecting.
• Create a voice recording of your story and listen to it multiple times to identify areas where your tone can better reflect the confidence you wish to portray. By hearing your narrative, you can pinpoint moments where your voice waivers or doesn't align with the self-assured image you're aiming for. For instance, if your voice shakes during a pivotal point in the story, you can practice that section to deliver it with more conviction.
• You can enhance your mental imagery by pairing it with physical movements related to your goal. For instance, if you're visualizing success in a sport, go through the motions of the sport as you imagine performing perfectly. This can create a stronger neural connection between your physical actions and mental images, potentially improving your real-life performance.
• Create a "scenario jar" with slips of paper describing various non-critical, stressful situations you might encounter, such as a long line at the grocery store or a traffic jam. Each week, draw one scenario and spend a few minutes visualizing how you would handle it with composure. This mental rehearsal can prepare you for real-life stressors by building a repertoire of calm responses.
• Start a personal success journal where you narrate your daily achievements as stories. Each day, write down at least one success, no matter how small, and frame it as a narrative with a beginning, challenge, and resolution. This practice will help you see your progress over time and reinforce the connection between storytelling and personal achievement.
• You can enhance your daily communication by crafting emails and messages as mini-stories. Start by setting a scene with a brief context, introduce a challenge or goal, and conclude with a resolution or call to action. For example, when emailing a colleague about a project, begin with the current status, highlight a key obstacle, and end with suggested steps to overcome it.

Conveying Narratives with Impact

Humm acknowledges that the effectiveness of narratives often depends on their presentation, despite being carefully constructed and practiced. He offers actionable guidance on customizing your narratives for the intended audience, honing skills in active listening, and integrating storytelling into your dialogues effortlessly.

Craft narratives that are uniquely designed to meet the requirements of every individual purchaser.

Humm emphasizes that proficient narrators avoid a uniform method for all situations. Every narrative must be carefully crafted to suit the individual purchaser and their distinct requirements, guaranteeing the utmost pertinence and effect.

Explore the client's background, industry interests, and pastimes to identify narratives that strike a chord with them.

Ensure you are well-informed about the potential buyer before your meeting. Explore digital platforms, such as professional networking sites, to discover information regarding their career history, organizational connections, sector participation, personal hobbies, and pertinent information. The method will guide you in identifying moments for interaction and choosing the narratives from your collection that have the greatest impact.

Other Perspectives

• The relevance of a client's pastimes to their business needs and interests may not always be clear, and making connections that are too tenuous could seem forced or irrelevant.
• Overemphasis on personal interests can come across as invasive or unprofessional if not handled with care.
• Over-researching a client might inadvertently cross boundaries of privacy, making them uncomfortable if they feel their personal space has been invaded.
• Ethical considerations must be taken into account when using information from digital platforms, as there is a fine line between research and invasion of privacy.
• The strategy assumes that the client's digital footprint accurately reflects their current interests and priorities, which may not always be the case.
• Relying heavily on online information might result in a one-sided perspective and could overlook the dynamic nature of a person's interests and priorities.

Select narratives that guide conversations with clients in the direction of the desired outcomes.

Consider your objectives for this meeting. What knowledge should my purchaser retain? Are my goals focused on building rapport, demonstrating value, resolving an issue, or encouraging a choice? Choose a story that aligns with your objectives and also strikes a chord tailored to the buyer's circumstances.

Context

• After sharing the narrative, engage the client in a discussion to gauge their reaction and adjust the conversation as needed.
• The information should directly relate to the client's current challenges or goals, making it more pertinent and easier to recall.
• Use terminology and jargon that the buyer is comfortable with, which can help in building rapport and ensuring clarity in communication.

Hone your listening skills to thoroughly understand the customer's viewpoint.

Humm underscores the importance of listening skills in becoming an exceptional storyteller. Before sharing a story, it’s crucial to truly understand your buyer’s perspective, their challenges, and their aspirations. This entails employing attentive listening strategies to collect valuable insights and forge an authentic relationship.

Establish a solid base and set precise goals, while also engaging in active listening through inquiries for further details.

Before each meeting, Philipp Humm recommends dedicating a moment to take deep breaths in order to ground oneself, concentrate on the current moment, and eliminate any distractions. Engage fully in the act of listening, utilizing more than just your auditory senses. Ensure that you maintain concentrated focus and avoid finishing the thoughts of the buyer or letting interruptions break the flow of the dialogue.

Keep posing inquiries to show sincere curiosity and confirm your grasp of their viewpoint. Inquiring in ways such as "Could you provide more details?" or "What makes you think this way?" prompts the buyer to share more profound information, which assists you in identifying a suitable narrative to communicate.

Other Perspectives

• In a group setting or public space, taking deep breaths might not be practical or comfortable for everyone, and it could be perceived as unprofessional or out of place.
• While grounding oneself and eliminating distractions can be beneficial, it's not always practical or possible in dynamic or fast-paced work environments where multitasking is often required.
• Active listening, while beneficial, can sometimes be mentally taxing, leading to cognitive overload if not managed properly.
• In a remote or virtual meeting setting, non-auditory cues are often less accessible, which can limit the effectiveness of this approach.
• Rigidly maintaining focus can sometimes be perceived as intense or confrontational, which might put the buyer on the defensive and hinder open communication.
• In situations where time is limited, finishing a buyer's thoughts might be necessary to keep the meeting on track and cover all necessary points within the allotted time.
• In certain dynamic or creative meetings, interruptions might spark new ideas or lead to problem-solving that wouldn't occur in a strictly linear dialogue.
• There's a risk that questions may come across as insincere if they do not align with the natural flow of the conversation or if they seem formulaic.
• Overemphasizing the confirmation of understanding can sometimes lead to a repetitive conversation rather than a progressive one, where new ideas and solutions are not explored.
• In some cases, such inquiries might make the buyer feel interrogated rather than engaged, which could create a defensive or negative atmosphere.

Demonstrate understanding and consideration of the buyer's issue by recognizing it before sharing an applicable story.

Humm recommends that paraphrasing the knowledge you have acquired is an effective method to ensure comprehension and show your active participation in the dialogue. Confirm your understanding of the buyer's primary issues by requesting affirmation with questions like "Did I get that right?" or by pursuing further explanation with "Have I understood the essence of your concerns accurately?" This demonstrates compassion and fosters a mutual comprehension prior to the initiation of your narrative.

Context

• Recognizing the buyer's issue involves actively listening to their concerns, which means paying full attention, observing non-verbal cues, and withholding judgment until they have fully expressed their thoughts.
• The act of paraphrasing requires the listener to process the information cognitively, which aids in better retention and understanding of the material discussed.
• This technique encourages a two-way dialogue, increasing engagement and making the conversation more interactive and dynamic.
• A compassionate approach can make your narrative more persuasive, as the buyer feels their specific situation is genuinely considered.

Incorporate narratives smoothly into the ongoing dialogue.

Humm advises not to regard stories as isolated acts within the dialogue. Instead, he advocates for weaving them seamlessly into the dialogue, creating a natural and engaging flow.

Employ seamless segues to present the narrative and clarify its significance.

Introduce your narrative at the appropriate moment with a concise statement that seamlessly links it to the current discussion. Acknowledge the statement of the purchaser and connect it to an experience you have encountered or witnessed. I once helped a client navigate through an issue that was quite similar...

Practical Tips

• Start your meetings with a "hook" by sharing a relevant anecdote that ties into the main agenda. This approach can capture attention and make the content more relatable. For example, if you're discussing customer service improvements, begin by recounting a recent positive feedback from a customer that highlights the impact of good service.
• Create a 'relatability map' for common customer statements you encounter. On a piece of paper, draw a mind map that starts with a customer statement in the center. Branch out with lines to different personal experiences or stories that relate to that statement. This visual aid will serve as a quick reference and inspiration for connecting with customers on a personal level during sales interactions.

Maintain ongoing engagement by weaving opportunities for audience participation throughout the story.

Humm recommends interspersing your narrative with deliberate pauses and moments of audience engagement. This maintains the engagement of the purchaser and guarantees their attentive participation. Have you encountered a scenario like this before? Are you curious to learn about the strategy they implemented to tackle the problem before I reveal the results?

Frequent interactions within the story encourage a dialogue rather than a monologue. However, Humm cautions that an excessive number of inquiries may disrupt the narrative's rhythm and imply a lack of confidence.

Practical Tips

• You can enhance your storytelling by incorporating interactive polls during your presentations. Use a free online polling tool to create questions related to your story's key points. Share the poll link with your audience at strategic intervals, allowing them to vote on outcomes or express opinions. This not only makes the audience feel involved but also gives you real-time feedback on their engagement.
• Try using silence strategically in conversations to allow others to reflect and contribute. After making a point or sharing a story, pause and give others a chance to digest the information and share their thoughts. This can lead to deeper discussions and more meaningful connections, especially in settings like book clubs or study groups.

Conclude the story by linking it to the needs of the potential customer and the subsequent steps they ought to undertake.

After narrating the story, seamlessly return to the ongoing discussion. Humm recommends focusing on the core elements of the story and then steering the conversation to address the buyer's requirements by asking a question. That event sparked my interest in how you typically handle such situations.

This method links the narrative explicitly with the context of the potential customer, showcasing its pertinence and paving the way for a deeper investigation into their obstacles and possible remedies.

Context

• After sharing the story, asking questions helps to engage the customer further, encouraging them to reflect on their own experiences and how the solution might apply to them.
• These typically include a relatable protagonist, a challenge or conflict, a resolution, and a clear message or moral that ties back to the product or service being offered.
• The method often uses a problem-solution framework, where the story highlights a problem similar to the customer's and then presents a solution, demonstrating the product's value.

Commitment to improving narrative abilities.

Humm emphasizes that becoming a proficient storyteller requires consistent effort and a commitment to ongoing improvement. He details a strategy for establishing specific objectives and devising a methodical approach to guarantee consistent advancement.

Establish high-reaching, motivational objectives to improve your narrative abilities.

Humm is of the opinion that establishing lofty objectives is essential for maintaining motivation and realizing substantial progress. He contends that objectives ought to challenge us to step outside our familiar boundaries and kindle an aspiration for personal growth and advancement.

Establish precise and measurable objectives to drive substantial progress.

In setting goals, Humm recommends using the SMART criteria to confirm that the objectives are:

• Specific: Clearly delineated and concentrated.

• Measurable: quantifiable and trackable

• Ambitious: challenging and inspiring

• Pertinent to your overarching goals.

• By setting a definitive deadline.

Practical Tips

• Start a peer accountability group where members share their measurable goals and report on their progress weekly. This creates a supportive environment where you can share your objectives, receive encouragement, and get constructive feedback. For instance, if your goal is to read a certain number of books per month, group members can check in to see if you're meeting your target and share reading strategies.

Choose goals that are significantly beyond your current comfort zone.

Humm advises establishing objectives that are tenfold higher than what you initially consider attainable. This method may seem intimidating, yet it promotes significant development and compels you to embrace novel thought and behavior patterns. Begin by introducing a single story each week, and progressively work towards incorporating ten stories weekly.

Other Perspectives

• Unrealistic goals can result in frequent failures, which can diminish motivation and self-confidence.
• The strategy may overlook the importance of enjoying the process of growth, as focusing too much on distant, challenging goals can make the journey feel overwhelming and unenjoyable.
• This approach assumes that more stories are inherently better, which may not align with the goals or capacities of all individuals or organizations.

Develop a structured approach to achieve your storytelling goals.

Humm recognizes that it is not enough to simply establish ambitious objectives. A carefully crafted plan, with clear stages and specific deadlines, is essential for transforming dreams into tangible outcomes.

Establish a sequence of practical measures accompanied by specific timeframes.

Segment your primary objective into smaller, more manageable tasks. To achieve the objective of sharing ten stories every week, you might devise a strategy that encompasses:

• Creating a fresh narrative daily.

• Practice every narrative at least two times.

• Discuss a different narrative with a colleague each day to gain their insights.

• Regularly assessing how often stories are shared with clients each week.

Context

• It enables more efficient allocation of resources, ensuring that each task has the necessary tools and support for successful completion.
• Allocating specific time each day for story creation can help in building a disciplined routine, ensuring that storytelling becomes an integral part of daily activities rather than an afterthought.
• A colleague can act as a stand-in for the intended audience, providing insights into how the story might be received and suggesting adjustments for better engagement.
• This could involve tracking metrics like client feedback, engagement rates, or conversion rates to determine the effectiveness of the stories shared.

Employ techniques such as minimum viable actions and self-rewarding, along with reflective evaluations following activities, to maintain your course.

Humm recognizes that maintaining motivation may present difficulties. To maintain momentum, he suggests defining minimum viable actions for each task. When overwhelmed, focus on completing only the fundamental tasks to ensure consistent progress. If you find it challenging to craft a full story, try jotting down the key elements as a list of bullet points.

Employ tactics that enable you to recognize and honor your progress. Reflect on your accomplishments by rewarding yourself for completing a task or pausing to appreciate your successes from the previous week.

Humm recommends conducting periodic evaluations following actions to assess your progress, pinpoint opportunities for enhancement, and modify your strategy as needed. He offers a set of inquiries designed for After-Action Reviews, which prompt you to meticulously analyze your successes, obstacles, and insights, thereby consistently honing your strategy. By embracing a philosophy of continuous improvement, you can progressively refine your storytelling skills to fulfill your ambitious goals.

Context

• By focusing on MVAs, you can better manage your time and resources, ensuring that you are consistently moving forward without overcommitting or burning out.
• By concentrating on manageable tasks, individuals can prevent burnout, which often results from trying to tackle too much at once.
• It is easier to rearrange and edit bullet points, which can lead to more dynamic and flexible storytelling as ideas evolve.
• Recognizing progress and rewarding yourself can boost self-esteem and reduce stress, contributing to overall well-being and a positive mindset.
• Celebrating small wins can create a positive momentum, encouraging continued effort and perseverance in future tasks.
• They provide a way to benchmark progress against initial goals or industry standards, offering a clear picture of where one stands.
• By modifying strategies based on evaluations, potential risks can be identified and mitigated early, preventing larger issues from developing.
• By systematically reviewing actions and outcomes, AARs help in building a shared understanding among team members, improving communication, and enhancing future performance by applying learned lessons.
• Being open to change and willing to adapt your storytelling approach based on new information or feedback is crucial for continuous improvement.