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Who would you say has had the most influence over people in the last several decades? Politicians? Teachers? CEOs? Perhaps Hollywood and the rest of the entertainment industry have had the most significant impact on a greater number of people. Consider this:
- After Jaws hit theaters in 1975, shark hunting increased dramatically, to the point that their populations may never recover.
- After the 1986 movie Top Gun, Navy aviator recruitment skyrocketed by as much as 500%.
- After The Karate Kid, the number of kids taking martial arts more than doubled.
- By 2004, the popularity of the CSI television shows had prompted a huge increase in applications to university forensic science programs.
- As a result of the 2007 movie Sicko, 43% of people were more likely to report that they think health-care reform is needed.
- In a 2008 TIME magazine poll of 1,002 registered voters, about 30% of respondents said a movie had changed their mind about an issue.
Sources: cracked.com and TIME
When these storytellers, artists, and musicians cast a vision, sound the alarm on a problem, or establish priorities, they guide the public imagination and frame the future.
Think about it: The biggest influence happens when people are being entertained. Storytelling is a marvelous way to combine influence and entertainment for maximum impact.
This episode discusses the “why” and “how” of using storytelling to engage people. Our guest is Steve Kloyda, host of the popular podcast The Prospecting Expert. Steve has a very large audience that is primarily made up of sales leaders, who of course spend most of their time trying to engage and influence their target customers. As with most leaders and influencers, stories are one of the most powerful tools at their disposal.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
- Steve Kloyda’s website: The Prospecting Expert
- Steve’s podcast: The Prospecting Expert Podcast
- Book by Terry Pearce: Leading Out Loud: A Guide for Engaging Others in Creating the Future
- Book by Dan and Chip Heath: Made to Stick
- Engaging Stories™ presentation – Using Storytelling to Influence Employees: Nothing sticks like a story. When you say, “Let me tell you a story,” everyone pays attention – and they are more likely to remember your point. In this presentation, you’ll learn a simple model for effective storytelling, plus guidelines for applying the model to leadership communication.
- Free e-book: Storytelling and the Big-Little Outcome are two of the tools included in 8 Communication Tools for Leaders: Become a Better Leader in Every Area of Life.
- Other Engaging Leader posts and videos about storytelling.
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