Storytelling in 140 Characters (or less)

Storytelling in 140 Characters (or less) Alice Ferris, ACFRE GoalBusters LLC @aliceferris facebook.com/goalbusters blog.goalbusters.com alice.ferris@goalbusters.net www.goalbusters.net Why social media? Who is our audience and What do they want What kinds of messages can we use How can you use storytelling to improve your content Visuals engage People have a relationship with us It may not be in person first Inform, Entertain, Call to action Remove barriers to participation Have a voice Make them a part of the story "Virtual porch" What should I say? Entertain Inform Call to Action Use pictures Quotes from real people Give people a peek behind the curtain Encourage and reinforce when others start to tell your story too Agenda “Your company's social media personality should be your company's corporate personality after exactly one beer.” -Ross McCammon, Esquire Always selling Always talking to someone else Always asking questions Posting things that aren't useful Posting on other's walls all the time Tweeting a list of names No room for RT Audience types Loyalists Stalkers Lurkers Test Driver Information Entertainment Action Lifespan Twitter: 1 hour (RT drops 97%) Facebook: Maybe a day LinkedIn: 1 week Information General content tips Entertainment Use pictures Quotes from real people Give people a peek behind the curtain Periodically yell “Squirrel!” Call to Action Calls to action are like the boy who called wolf Use pictures Quotes from real people Encourage and reinforce when others start to tell your story too Storytelling goals Remember Share Act Classic Story Structure "Introduce your hero, get him up a tree, throw rocks at him, then get him out of the tree" -- Robert McKee (and George M Cohan) Storytelling... Creates connections Helps people understand Holds people's attention Encourages people to act Who is our hero? What does the hero do? What obstacles stand in the way? What's the happy ending?