4 Ways to Connect & Grow Your Business with Storytelling · Thus, to increase connection and bonding during business prospection or presentations, you need to infuse a few fun elements

4 Ways to Connect & Grow

Your Business with Storytelling

Gideon F. For-mukwai, Chief Story Warrior

4 Reasons You Are Not Connecting And How to Fix That with The Science of Storytelling

***1***2015 All rights reserved. Gideon F. For-mukwai www.StoryWarrior.us

The ability to connect deeply with clients and prospects is not a genetic gift

only a few can attain. On the contrary, it is also a semantic shift that every

serious businessperson can obtain.

More than ever before, the ability to connect can make or break your

business. Why? This is so because most people are flooded with ruthless and

mindless sales pitches everyday. Whenever you use a more respectful

approach, it comes across as very refreshing.

Consider using the storytelling approach. It is an approach that is steeped in

latest science and research relating to the way our minds respond to

narratives. With this approach, you start by building rapport with those you

meet.

No pushing, no shoving, and no coercing. Stories will do the job for you.

They are capable of engaging, intriguing, educating, entertaining and

transporting your prospects to a decision point.

At the very start, all you have to do is focus on generating likability,

credibility and affinity. Without these basic elements, there is No

Connection. However, when there is no connection, there is no trust. Trust

means, the customer can pull out their wallet to buy.



Connection is the basis of trust.

By the way, did I mention that Connection and Trust both live on the third

floor? To get there, you have to take the stairs through the first floor, other-

wise known as Likability and the second floor, otherwise know as Credibility.

There are no short cuts.

In order to get to the third floor, you need a good story that is interesting

enough for the gatekeepers (Likability and Credibility) to give you further

access. This is possibly why you have not been connecting so far.

Without connection, there is no persuasion.

When there is no persuasion, there is no conversion. In other words, connec-

tion is the gateway to persuasion and persuasion is the doorway to conver-

sion.

The key is to pay close attention to the underlying science relating to the

power of stories because stories work like a “Remote” control. They are

invisible, subtle and non-invasive.

When you use stories to frame your sales conversations, you come across as

polite. It forges lasting trust and respect. Sometimes, it even creates a high

degree of affinity that gives birth to customer advocates.



Whether you sell ideas, products, or services, you need story connection

skills to tune-into the needs of your prospects and to earn their buy-in. If the

prospect feels a deep connection, you ‘d possibly earn their business.

“Stories are the currency of human connection.” Robert McKee

There is a growing body of research that indicates we are deeply social

organisms that crave stories to make sense of our life. Thus, stories are not

alien at all; if anything they are inalienable.

Don’t take my word. Consider the findings of some psychologists, neurosci-

entists and behavioral scientists outlined below. You may well discover the

reason why you have not been connecting well with your prospects and

clients.

Here are 4 ways you can improve your ability to connect with your prospects

and customers through the use of subtle story telling and story selling.



Reason #1. Connect by Creating Curiosity

To have your prospect(s) or audience to fully tune-in to what you have to say,

you can create intense curiosity in their minds. How? Use intrigue. Intrigue

triggers an eagerness to find out, to know or to see how something is

resolved. That eagerness creates connection.

Have you ever read a headline that says something like - “How I made 10K

Working 10 hours/Per Week?”

Neuroscience research indicates that human curiosity can be triggered with

a question, a familiar smell, a sound or even a captivating visual cue. For that

connection to last longer and deeper, delay the gratification or reward. This

tends to intensify the curiosity and magnifies the mystery and the reward or

potential benefit.

The Zeigarnik Effect

Why does curiosity work so well on the human mind? I believe it has to do

with The ‘Zeigarnik Effect. This refers to a concept propounded by Russian

psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik. In the late 1920s, she proved that the human

mind has a strong fascination for unanswered questions or unfinished tasks.



Given the fact that the human mind also craves closure and revelation, it

tends to dwell on current unresolved important things. When this happens in

the context of a meeting or a presentation to a prospect, it deepens the level

of connection. This is partly explains why cliffhangers work and why Tv

reporters use them to keep us watching than we should.

This is also one of the reasons why during countless webinars, the instructors

will say, “I have a big announcement or reward to give at the end if you stay

tunned.”

How to Apply This in Your Sales Conversations or Presentations?

1. Ask questions that elicit a response or expectation. Here is an example

that once got me leaning forward and sitting on the edge of my seat. “Do you

want to make 6 figures in 6 months selling other people ‘s products?”

2. Make big a promise that you can fulfill later. This one once got me mes-

merized. “At the end of this 1 hour, you ‘d be able to ‘double your income

with a single email.”

3. Introduce a mystery or a burning issue that grabs attention. He is an ex-

ample for you. “How I went from homeless to having a fully paid home in 3

months without breaking into a bank”.



Reason #2. Connect With Your Flaws and Human FrailtiesAnother powerful way to deepen your connection with your customers or your audience is by coming across as authentic. No airs. Don’t be afraid to show human flaws. Perfection dissuades connection and distances you from your customers.

Perfection dissuades connection and distances you!

It leaves your prospect or audience thinking, “I am not good enough.” That breaks the bond of connection.

In the course of chatting with your prospect(s), use a story that depicts some of your personal struggles that reflect thiers. Our human frailties humanize us and also generate empathy, which in turn deepens emotional connection.

Neuroscientists tell us that when there is empathy, mirror neurons and oxytocin (the bonding chemical of the brain) kicks are triggered or secreted. This deepens the connection. Where there is empathy, there is a greater potential for bonding and connection.

Where there is empathy, there is greater potential for bonding and connection.

Brene Brown, a researcher who studies vulnerability, courage and authentic-ity at the University of Texas, proposes, “vulnerability works like a glue.” It tends to increase emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy. This is a strong human emotion that can be leveraged with stories of personal failures or vul-nerability.



It is particularly relevant today because we live in a time of intimacy deficit. Our society teaches us NOT to be vulnerable, it teaches us to be the tough boys and girls who win regardless of the obstacles. Everyone knows, that is not true in life!

Professor Brown‘s TED talk on the subject of vulnerability has been a run-away success. It has generated over 5.3M views on YouTube. It is one of the best talks. It says a lot about the power of vulnerability.


1. Craft stories that reflect the Hero’s Journey. Such stories should include the full breath of our human existence ie comprising the ups and downs that reflect an authentic life.2. Share stories that highlight problems and solutions found. This allows your prospects to feel the pain and the gain as reflected in your story.3. Show emotion if need be. Don’t just act tough for the sake of it. Your tone, voice, choice of words can impact them significantly.



Reason #3. Create Excitement & Entertainment Entertainment creates connection through the release of endorphins and

dopamine. Excitement can be communicated through body language, while

the entertainment can be done through your oral delivery. Either way, both

can enhance connection when embedded thoughtfully in a story.

According to Dr. Dunbar, evolutionary psychologist at Oxford University,

simple muscular exertions such as ha, ha, ha in laughing, cause an increase

in endorphins secretion in the brain. Endorphins are the brain chemical re-

sponsible for creating a feel-good effect.

Feeling good generates inter-personal and group bonding.

Feeling good generates inter-personal and group bonding. It happens

because as humans, we seldom laugh with our enemies. We however love to

laugh with people who are likable, or people whom we admire.

Thus, to increase connection and bonding during business prospection or

presentations, you need to infuse a few fun elements into your story to induce

organic laughter. This relaxes your audience. It also reduces social distance,

thereby fostering a connection with your customer.



How to Apply This in Your Sales Conversation or Presentation?

1. Infuse an element of humor into your signature stories. This will catch

them off guard, thereby earning you a good connection.

2. Use body language and a bit of energy to demonstrate happiness, and ex-

citement. This will be transmitted to your audience, thereby deepening your

connection.

3. Use the power of tone to create excitement and optimism. If you don’t

want to own the words, give them to a character in your story.



Reason #4. Transport Them with Story

The best part of connecting with stories is that stories have the power to

transport a prospect or an audience into the future. Stories can also transport

someone to a place (setting) where you wish to paint a particular picture for

a particular reason.

Stories enable us to build or remove barriers through imagery and metaphors.

This happens mainly because stories are simple to grasp. They also have the

ability to help your prospect(s) to visualize a different reality without having

to live it. In other words, stories enable us to build or remove barriers through

imagery and metaphors.

In a “Can-Do” story, the barriers are removed through the artful construction

of the storyteller, it gets the listener fired up or motivated to take action.

Without the story, this type of connection will be difficult to achieve.

The “Transportation Theory” proposed by Brock & Green, say that we lose

ourselves in a story. When this happens, the story modifies our attitudes and

intensions to reflect those highlighted in the story. This is why your story can

inspire or even close a deal for you.



The right story can close or seal a deal for you.

Stories appeal to both the logical and emotional mind. To stimulate logical

minds like engineers, use a greater depth of facts, logic, and statistics. On the

other hand, to stimulate the emotionally minded prospects, use more emo-

tions and feelings to generate empathy.

Stories that transport can be crafted artfully with literary and rhetorical tools.

Stories that transport can be crafted artfully with literary and rhetorical tools,

by using suitable techniques such as foregrounding and metaphors, that help

the customer to feel or experience new sensations that tilt and transport them

towards a desirable conclusion.

Foregrounding makes things obvious, while metaphors make them less

mysterious.


1. Use metaphors to construct a new reality in the minds of your prospect.

This can potentially create a burning need in their minds or desire to connect

and to learn.

2. Use foregrounding to illuminate an important quality that appeals to your

client or customer. It helps to make things more obvious.

3. Use Anaphora to emphasis and cause messages to stick through repeti-

tion. When used correctly, you create an emotional or logical connection.



“The most amazing thing for me is that every single person who sees a movie… brings a whole set of unique experiences. Now, through careful manipulation and good storytelling, you can get everybody to clap at the same time, to hopefully laugh at the same time, and to be afraid at the same time.” Steven Spielberg

Gideon is a Story Warrior on a mission to help professionals and businesses to �ght business wars with breathtaking stories that turn enemy combatants into advocates. He specializes in story alchemy, a rigorous process of combining the science and art of story into fascinating narratives.

He is an award winning speaker and best selling author of the book, The Science of Story Selling.

Professionally, he has conducted programs in 18 countries for organizations such as WHO, U.S. Social Security Administration, Veterans A�airs, Shell Eastern Petroleum, Morrison University, Sierra Arts Foundation and more.

His obsession for storytelling started in 2003. It has led him to Africa to Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. Gideon believes, “A story is a Gift.” It is part and parcel of our identity. It can either be an Asset or a Liability, it all depends on the storyteller.Gideon has presented in 12 US States and has spoken in countries such as Hong Kong, Germany and Dubai, Indonesia, South Africa, Canada, Malaysia and more. As a young boy growing up in Africa, Gideon was very mischi.

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4 Ways to Connect & Grow Your Business with Storytelling · Thus, to increase connection and bonding during business prospection or presentations, you need to infuse a few fun elements