Humans have always told stories to understand, share and recall knowledge. Deb Gabor of Sol Marketing, brand dominatrix and investor pitch whisperer, shows us how your brain reacts to information. Learn how to connect emotionally to stimulate the irrational unconscious brain and harness the power of storytelling.

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THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON STORIES
BRAIN SCIENCE AND STORYTELLING
BY DEB GABOR
BRAND DOMINATRIX AND INVESTOR PITCH WHISPERER
Solmarketing.com
@Sol_Marketing

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Across every culture, in every part of the
world, humans have told stories to
understand, share and recall knowledge.

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Introduction to the brain
Reptilian brain: automatic
response
(DANGER+ swift automatic
instructions for fight or flight)
Limbic brain: WHY (Is this my
friend? Can I put my trust
here?)
Neocortex: rational/thinking
brain

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98% of what the brain does happens
OUTSIDE of awareness*
95% of buying decisions happen OUTSIDE
the neocortex**
*Dr. Michael S. Gazzigniga, NYT 2011
**Baba Shiv, Harvard Business Review, 2013

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HARNESS THE POWER OF STORYTELLING
Telling a good story enables you to
communicate with the emotional
unconscious
Storytelling stimulates the irrational
unconscious brain to facilitate decisions

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Neural coupling
Listener turns the
story into their
own ideas
Mirroring
Listeners experience
similar brain activity
Cortex activity
Fact processing in
Broca’s and
Wernicke’s area (e.g.
the LEFT BRAIN)
Dopamine
Brain releases
dopamine when
emotionally charged

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SELLING WITH STORIES
Harness the power of storytelling to
stimulate the unconscious brain
Use the story arc to “tickle” the limbic brain
at ideal points in the story

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SEVEN BASIC PLOTS
Overcoming the Monster: Hero and the bad guy (Star Wars, Jaws, anything with Nazis)
Rags to Riches: Success and crisis (Any Disney princess movie, Wolf of Wall Street)
The Quest: Seeking and finding (Any Indiana Jones movie, Stand by Me)
Voyage and Return: Boldly exploring (Wizard of Oz, Back to the Future)
Comedy: From confusion to enlightenment (Any Will Ferrell movie)
Tragedy: The price of fatal flaws (Macbeth, King Lear, Requiem for a Dream)
Rebirth: Finding the personal light (It’s a Wonderful Life, Pursuit of Happyness)

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LET’S START
SOMETHING
512.445.4807
info@solmarketing.com
4807 Spicewood Springs Rd.
Building 2, Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78759
Deb Gabor
@deb_gabor
Solmarketing.com
Investorpitches.com