We hear it all the time.
The best writers are readers.
Well, I do believe that there's some truth to that,
I think there's something that's even more true
and that is this.
The best writers are storytellers.
Whether you learn the art of storytelling
through reading books, listening to audio books,
or watching great cinema, it really doesn't matter
in this video we're gonna talk about why stories
are such a critical component in persuasive writing.
And then we'll wrap it up with 5 amazing books
that will help you master the art of storytelling,
and become an infinitely better writer, stay tuned.
(upbeat music)
Hey Posse, what's up, it's Alex.
In this week's video we're gonna talk about
one of my all time favorite things
to talk about storytelling.
I wholeheartedly believe that sales
go hand in hand with storytelling,
that you can't have one without the other.
And that if you wanna become a better copywriter,
marketer, or business owner,
then learning the art of storytelling is hands down
the number one skill you should learn.
Storytelling should be the backbone of your brand voice,
the starting point of the emails, ads
and sales pages you write,
and the secret sauce to your sales.
Which is why, I teach in-depth storytelling formulas,
and strategies inside every single
one of my copywriting programs.
That is how important I believe storytelling is,
and I'm about to prove it to you.
But before we get to that,
if you're new to the crew, welcome.
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selling, branding, and more.
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Now, the inspiration for this video came to me
a few weeks ago when I was reading an interview in Forbes
about the importance of storytelling in presentations.
The interview was with Jesse Scinto
who teaches the critical mind and dynamics of persuasion
at Columbia University.
He made so many solid points
about the importance of storytelling when it comes
to putting together a persuasive presentation,
and it really got me thinking
about how every single thing that he said really
also applies to copywriting, marketing,
and just persuasive conversation in general.
In this article Professor Scinto talks about
the only two things a story needs to have,
a complication and a resolution.
Which is such a genius and straightforward way
to think about it if you think about it.
I mean, we're always over complicating things
and boxing yourselves in by following the exact story arcs
that we're taught to follow,
or trying to make sure that we hit
on all the right twists and turns along the way,
or trying to replicate other great stories
that we've read or heard.
But like Scinto pointed out,
storytelling really is quite simple.
The first part of every good story needs to begin
with a complication, right?
A character who gets in trouble somehow
or is not having his or her needs met.
And in terms of copywriting
this translates into the big problem
and the core pain points that your audience is experiencing.
And as your story progresses,
your character strives or looks for a solution,
tries different things, digs deeper, finds courage within
and then comes to a resolution.
Similarly in copywriting, you want your story to transition
from the pain and the problem to the solution
or resolution that that you're offering them.
And yes, of course, there are plenty
of psychological triggers and formulas
and open loops that you should include along the way
in order to seamlessly connect the dots
and keep people engaged in actually reading
and interacting with your story.
And that's the type of stuff that I teach you
inside my courses.
But it really goes without saying that storytelling
is so, so important when it comes to persuasive marketing.
Why, well, like storytelling it's really quite simple,
humans like stories.
We've literally been hardwired over thousands
of years of evolution to pay attention to stories.
Long before we learned how to write,
stories provided us with purpose and meaning
and a sense of community and personal identity.
They helped us make sense of the world,
and pass on important lessons.
They were how we related to one another,
and how we coped through stressful and uncertain times.
We've been so bred to pay attention
to and believe in stories.
And remember, you can debate facts,
you can disagree with opinions,
but you can never argue with a story because it's a story.
And the more specific your story when it comes
to descriptive feelings and experiences
the more relatable it actually is.
So when you use storytelling in your marketing
you're using a form of persuasion
that comes natural to the human brain,
which is pretty cool if you think about it, right?
So now that you know why mastering the art of storytelling
is so important as a digital marketer,
let's get right into the five books you should read
to improve your storytelling skills.
The first on my list is "The Storytelling Animal:
How Stories Make Us Human" by Jonathan Gottschall.
This is a great one for all my skeptics out there,
because it really breaks down the importance
of storytelling from the perspective of the latest research
and neuroscience psychology and evolutionary biology.
And it is so fascinating the way Gottschall
explains the way stories have evolved
as we, as humans have evolved.
The way stories have helped us navigate problems.
The way stories have literally shaped who we are,
and how stories can ultimately help us change the world.
My second book recommendation
is "Wired For Story" by Lisa Cron.
So this is another goody that really breaks down
the science behind storytelling.
But I love this one because Lisa really breaks down
what's happening in the brain during storytelling,
from what the brain actually craves
in a good story to what keeps them transfixed.
And she reveals the cognitive secrets that you can apply
in your own storytelling that will help you
captivate your audience from beginning to end.
She also includes plenty of examples
from novels and screenplays and short stories,
so you can really see how each element of storytelling
corresponds to that specific brain activity.
Alright, the next book on my list
is "The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence,
and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling"
by Annette Simmons and Doug Lipman.
So whether you're trying to make a sale,
or trying to convince your partner to take up the trash,
if you know how to use the art of storytelling
then you can persuade, motivate,
and inspire people in every single aspect of your life,
and that would be pretty helpful.
From your business to your personal life
and everything in between this book teaches you
how storytelling is the oldest
and most powerful form of influence
with over 100 examples of effective storytelling.
Next on my list is "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft"
by Stephan King.
So arguably one of the most successful fiction authors
of our time, Stephan King's memoir is honestly a must read
for anyone that wants to learn and master
the art of storytelling or just writing in general.
This one is a little bit different
from the others on this list, but it is in fact
a memoir of King's own writing journey.
He does a great job of breaking down
his own personal process when it comes to writing
with advice on description, authentic dialogue,
and the basic tools every writer should know and use.
And lastly "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive
and Others Die" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.
So what's the difference between ideas that fly
and ideas that die in "Made to Stick"
Chip and Dan Heath break down the principles
behind every winning idea,
and most importantly, how you can use these principles
in your own storytelling and messaging
to be infinitely more persuasive and influential.
Alright, now I wanna give one bonus storytelling tip
and it is my favorite one of all, read fiction,
whatever type of non-fiction you like,
whether it's about wizards and warlocks and crime
or murder or love and romance,
if a book captivates you and enthralls you
and really sucks you in to keep you turning pages,
then it must be a pretty good story,
and you will learn something about writing
simply by reading it, whether or not you realize it at all.
Remember not everything you do or read
has to be educational in order to be beneficial.
So what book are you reading next,
comment below and let me know,
and I will see you next week with a brand new video.
Until then I'm Alex. Ciao for now.
Alright, guys, if you enjoyed that video,
make sure to check out the next one from me right here.
And you can click right here to get a free gift.
Hey guys, it's Alex.
And in this video, I'm gonna tell you
my five favorite books you should read
if you're teaching yourself how to be a copywriter.
(upbeat music)