The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller." Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, emphasizing the persuasive power of stories and its ability to inspire people.
The NY Times piece Why we tell stories, featured this short essay by Hikaru Nakamura, one of the world’s top blitz chess players and a popular Twitch streamer:
On the surface, people tune in to my stream to watch me play chess, but if there were no story to tell about the moves I make, I might as well be a computer program. I have to enhance — or create — the drama in the game to keep the attention of my fans and generate more interest…
After all, in my experience, only a few hundred people can tolerate a dry analysis of strings of chess moves, but hundreds of thousands want to hear that your opponent kept kicking you under the table or that his breath was so hideous it distracted you.
Nakamura illustrates an obvious but often-forgotten point: stories are what engage us. If we only communicated through data and statistics, we might as well be robots.
As every marketing expert will tell you, the potential to change people’s opinions and minds lies not in statistics but in the power of stories.
Facts tell, Stories sell
Marketers and salespeople understand that to sell a product or an idea, you need to give your potential customers a reason to act. Data and statistics, however compelling, are just not enough to move the needle. But stories can.
Rather than bombarding potential customers with dry statistics, successful brands create compelling narratives that make their products or services relatable and emotionally appealing. Apple, for instance, doesn't just list the technical specifications of their devices; they craft stories that portray how their products can enhance users' lives, sparking desire and loyalty.
The Power of Stories
Tell me the facts, and I'll learn. Tell me the truth, and I'll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever. - An old Native American proverb.
Narratives shape our beliefs. Through stories, we learn about the world, its complexities, and the moral and ethical frameworks that govern it. From religious parables to philosophical allegories, stories have played a vital role in passing down wisdom and knowledge from one generation to the next.
Sharing stories that depict our identities, origins, and connections with one another continues to be a fundamental aspect of our human existence.
Here are a few reasons why stories fare far better than data in persuading people to change their minds.
Stories inspire action
Stories have the power to ignite action. It is easy to gloss over statistics on gender equality and the importance of education, but it’s hard to ignore, for instance, the story of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education activist who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban.
Stories foster empathy
Fiction novels are so popular because they let us lay readers walk in the shoes of protagonists who bear no resemblance to our own selves. Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner" or Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird” are more likely to leave us with a greater appreciation for complex issues like betrayal or racism than any statistical survey ever could.
Stories evoke emotion
If you’ve ever tried fundraising, you know how hard it is to get people, even those you know well, to open their wallets. Now imagine how much more difficult it would be to ask internet strangers for cash! But successful GoFundMe campaigns manage to make even such an improbable task seem effortless, thanks to the power of stories.
When we are presented with genuine, emotional, or compelling personal stories of people overcoming adversity or communities in crises, we feel the joy, sorrow, and resilience of the individuals involved, and often, that’s enough to motivate us to take action.
Stories make information relatable
We can read reports on the climate crisis until we are blue in the face, but facts and figures can feel abstract and distant. However, interlacing the facts into a real-life story about a family in a coastal village facing the consequences of rising sea levels can make the issue relatable and urgent and prompt action.
Stories are how we make sense of the world
The narrative arc follows a structure – with a beginning, middle, and end, that is deeply ingrained in human psychology. It helps us process and remember information more effectively. When data is presented without a narrative, it often tends to be disparate information without context and quickly forgotten.
Not that facts aren’t important
Of course, persuasion requires us to provide hard data to support our stories. For instance, most people in their right mind wouldn’t hand over their lifetime savings to a glib, smooth-talking investment manager who doesn’t have a proven track record of successful investing.
Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamppost: for support, not illumination. Vin Scully.
The point is statistics and data are essential, but they alone aren’t effective at persuading people to change their minds. What really changes peoples’ minds are good stories.
How to tell persuasive stories
Storytelling is the essential human activity. The harder the situation, the more essential it is. Tim O'Brien
Changing people's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors through storytelling is a powerful and nuanced process. Here are a few guidelines for telling persuasive stories:
Craft emotional stories: People are more likely to remember and be influenced by stories that make them feel something. Whether it's empathy, excitement, or inspiration, emotions can drive change.
Make it relatable: When people can see themselves in the story, they are more likely to connect with it and consider the message.
Show, Don't Tell: Subtlety can be more persuasive than overtly conveying a message.
In Short
In today's data-driven world, numbers and statistics often take center stage when we seek to persuade, inform, or advocate for change. However, there is another powerful tool at our disposal that transcends graphs and figures and will make your message truly resonate: the power of stories.
A well-told story can stay with us for a long time, constantly reminding us of its message. This memorability makes stories an effective tool for change, as people are more likely to retain and act on the information they remember.
People don't want more information. They are up to their eyeballs in information. They want faith - faith in you, your goals, your success, in the story you tell. Annette Simmons.