I'm no scriptwriter and unlikely to receive any accolades for storytelling. However, as a marketing and new business professional, I realise the importance of storytelling.

This phenomenon is becoming an essential business tool. Those embracing it are becoming smarter in engaging and connecting with customers. Whether a press release, proposal, pitch, speech, direct mail campaign or analysing what research might mean for your business, the underlying factor that pulls together and makes it effective is a really good story.

Stories engage listeners, connecting and compelling them to share. A good example is my work on a keynote presentation for a colleague. Although he was no technical expert on the subject, he was more than willing to share stories relating to the conference’s main topic. Rather than a theoretical approach, we used the keynote to tell a story. Keen to avoid bullets and lists, we populated our slide deck with intriguing images and anecdotal videos, each linked to the subject by way of a story.

By sharing his stories, my colleague not only set the scene, but also drew upon his practical experience. The presentation was heart-felt and memorable, generating great feedback.

The importance of storytelling in business cannot be underestimated. No degree in scriptwriting is required and we all have stories within us. Happy storytelling!