Jacqueline Hart, Nederland. Hub Ned hosted a seminar on November 15, encouraging entrepreneurs to use their story to connect with clients. Johanna Walker, public speaking coach, storytelling expert and TEDx talk veteran, gave an inspiring oration to approximately 40 local business owners. Walker’s practice as a public speaking coach began in theater, where she worked for 20 years. She applied her theater experience to giving TEDx Talks and a career as a public speaking coach six years ago.
Walker described her approach as “using storytelling to grow your business and connect with customers.” She will host her next TEDx Talk in Cherry Creek next month describing, “the liberation that is possible when we tell our stories from our bodies, and how that liberation will dismantle patriarchy.” The live event is unfortunately sold out but will run on the TEDx-Talk YouTube channel, afterwards.
“It’s in the moments where our vulnerabilities and flaws show; that’s where our stories live. Stories create connection with potential clients, and there are no sales without connection,” Walker shared. “The shortest distance between two people, and between the business owner and their potential client, is a connection.” Walker illustrated her approach to storytelling for business purposes by sharing a personal story identifying her inner critic’s voice running rampant in her head, ruining her day. She shared how a Facebook post reminded her that at times she knows, “It’s fun to be me.”
She relayed how this full stop in her thinking allowed her to take a breath and remember the excitement and purpose she had started her private practice with. The result was welcomed silence from her inner critic. Who can’t relate to an inner critic bruising?
Walker also explained that in her youth she was the opposite of a public speaking enthusiast. She was instead a people-pleaser who stayed quiet, and over time buried her voice. She had even created art that portrayed her need to stay invisible with a cartoon bubble that read, “I have nothing to say.” Again, connecting to the fear within most people of speaking in public. The Hub Ned audience was engaged, even enthralled.
The high level of engagement would prove necessary, as the next portion of the seminar required group participation outside the comfort zone of individually selected seats. Uneasy laughter erupted from the group. Walker explained that good storytelling comes from the body, specifically, from the heart and the gut. Humans are generally comfortable in their heads, where bland reports come from. Getting into our hearts and guts enables us to tap into stories that connect with others. Stories, Walker said, come from our bodies, not our heads.
The group was led in three simple activities. The first were vocal exercises, engaging the body. The next activities allowed the group to connect with each other’s emotions to demonstrate the power that heartfelt stories hold. Last, the group engaged in a fictional storytelling exercising establishing the connection storytelling can provide.
Having proven the value of storytelling, the last segment of the seminar described how to craft a story that engages potential customers. Walker said to begin with three questions to get customers to yes:
What do you want the customer to say yes to?
Why does the yes matter to you? (Why do you care?)
What does the customer want to say yes to?
Walker said once we have answered these questions, we can move on to craft a story that serves as the bridge allowing the customer to say yes because they are saying yes to something they want. In crafting the story, Walker suggests following these guidelines:
Validate the goal. (What the customer wants to say yes to.)
Identify what is in the way.
According to them.
According to you.
What is your idea/story/discovery?
Call to action.
Walker summarized these steps explaining that understanding what the customer wants, creating a bridge between what is being offered to what they want and inviting the customer to say yes to what they already want, is how the use of storytelling attracts more customers. The Hero’s Journey model can also be used to engage an audience and create a call to action. The hero’s journey model varies, but usually includes;
Ordinary World (comfort zone).
Call to Adventure (challenge to overcome).
Refusal of the call (denial).
Meeting a mentor (information or a teacher changes the subject’s perspective).
Crossing the threshold (leaving comfort zone).
Tests, Allies Enemies (challenges experienced in out of comfort zone).
Approach (challenges lead to a new idea).
Ordeal (blocks to goals).
Reward (goal accomplished).
The Road Back (returning to comfort zone).
Resurrection Hero (final test).
Return with Elixir (New information or strength that serves others).
To learn more about Johanna Walker’s work visit www.johannawalker.com
For more information about Hub Ned services and upcoming events visit www.hubned.com
(Originally published in the November 22, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
