Professor Jennifer Aaker and venture capitalist David Hornik explore the importance of stories in fueling growth and innovation in your company as well as the role of stories in shaping how others view your brand

1. The Power of Storytelling:
Making Brands Come to Life
Welcome to:
Today’s webinar will begin at 9 a.m. PT
From the United States and Canada: Toll free: +1 (800) 868-1846 -- Participant code: 83916826
Outside the United States and Canada: Toll: +1 (404) 920-6361 -- Participant code: 83916826
Hosted by Jennifer Aaker

2. New Course
XINE217:
The Power of Stories to Fuel Innovation
Taught by Jennifer Aaker
Learn more at: create.stanford.edu
A big idea is not enough. You need people to create it and people to buy into it.
Your big idea needs a story. Stories fuel innovation. They hold the power to
transform listeners; to take listeners on a journey that changes how they think,
feel or act. This interactive online course covers the variety of roles a narrative
can play, and its potential to transform an organization or new venture.
Explore why story is at the heart of effective innovation and how story can be
used to transform culture.
Featured Course:
The Power of Stories to Fuel Innovation

3. David Hornik has worked with technology
startups throughout the software sector. In
2000, David joined August Capital to invest
broadly in information technology companies,
with a focus on enterprise application and
infrastructure software, as well as consumer
facing software and services.
Jennifer Aaker is the General Atlantic Professor of
Marketing and Ormond Family Faculty at Stanford
University’s Graduate School of Business. Her
research spans time, money and happiness. She is
widely published in the leading scholarly journals
in psychology and marketing, and her work has
been featured in a variety of media.
The Power of Stories: Making Brands Come to Life
Presenter and Special Guest

4. See stories as an asset.
A tool to emotionally connect your audience,
influence culture, build a brand
and spur innovation
Goal

5. TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY ARE STORIES IMPORTANT IN BUSINESS
FOUR STORIES
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS!

6. STORIES IN
BUSINESS

7. A story is a connected series of events - with a
beginning, middle and end.
It is a journey that moves the listener. When the
listener goes on that journey, they feel different,
sometimes even transformed.
Story

8. Stories are all around us.
Researchers found that personal stories and gossip
make up 65% of our conversations.
Some stories are small – 6 words or 140 characters;
others long – a book or movie.
Your best stories are told in multiple
forms and lengths.
Jeremey Hsu (2008) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-secrets-of-storytelling

9. What kind of effect can storytelling have
for business?

10. How can storytelling contribute to a successful pitch
organizing your team
connecting to your customer or closing a sale,
spurring growth?

11. CHAPTER 1: A STORY THAT SEALS THE DEAL
VCS AND ANGELS DON’T INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY. THEY INVEST IN PEOPLE WHO
EXUDE CREATIVE POTENTIAL COMBINED WITH URGENCY TO SOLVE DAUTING
PROBLEM. WITH NEW APPROACH.
YOUR PITCH SHOULD DEMONSTRATE BOTH.
REDUCE IDEA TO 4 WORDS OR LESS
EXAMPLE; GOOGLE: ORGANIZES WORLDS INFORMATION
MAKE IT COGENT, ELEGANT
James Buckhouse: https://medium.com/design-story/375bf9674cac

12. CHAPTER 2: THE WIKI OF YOUR ORGANIZATION
A STORY THAT WORKS AS INTERNAL FULCRUM AND WHICH YOUR TEAM CAN
STRESS TEST BUSINESS DECISIONS.
INFORMS YOUR ROLE, TEAM’S ROLE, AND COMPANY’S ROLE
EXAMPLE: PEER TO PEER GREEN POWER
FOUR WORD STORY: GREEN POWER FOR EVERYONE
DESIGN TEAM: INSTANT INFORMATION, BETTER DECISIONS
TEAM MEMBER: BETTER DEMAND, METER ALERTS
MAKE IT CLEAR
James Buckhouse: https://medium.com/design-story/375bf9674cac

13. CHAPTER 3: STORIES OF YOUR CUSTOMERS
YOU ARE RARELY THE HERO; YOUR CUSTOMER IS
HOW DID YOUR PRODUCT OR BRAND GET USED BY A CUSTOMER TO ATTAIN
THEIR GOALS AND TRANSFORM THEIR LIFE
EXAMPLE; JARED (SUBWAY)
MAKE IT FOCUSED ON THE PROTOGANIST

14. CHAPTER 4: REASON WHY IT IS HUGE
WHY SHOULD WE CARE? WHY SHOULD BE BELIEVE IN GROWTH?
HOW DOES YOUR PRODUCT MAKE PEOPLE’S LIVES BETTER, AND
CHANGE THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE?
EXAMPLE: SQUARE
MAKE IT HUMAN-CENTERED AND INSPIRED.

15. How is using stories important internally –
within a company?
How can storytelling play a role in a turnaround?
What elements does a story need to be compelling?
Are stories proven to spur action in consumers?

16. Shradha Sharma, Founder, YourStory, realized the power of storytelling while interacting
with hundreds of small business owners from all across India.
An entrepreneur’s story is always unique and has the power to meaningfully connect
with his/her stakeholders. Their stories are filled with grit, passion and perseverance, but
more often than not these stories are lost and not captured.
Historically for media the emphasis has been on news rather then capturing the essence
of a venture through stories - that realization was the genesis of Shradha’s story with
YourStory! Emphasis on the "you" aspect of the story played a key role in the growth of
the platform, with “you” it was easier to build a loyal community (as opposed to I and
my approach)
Today YourStory is India’s largest storyteller with stories of over 12,000 entrepreneurs
captured. Guiding Principle – Stories Stay!
A BUSINESS STORY:

17. THE
END

18. Q & A

19. Tips

20. STORYTELLING
TIPS
You don’t need to
have an exotic
story; just one that
has most of the
components that
will be further
developed.
INTRO STORY FLOW AUDIENCE AUTHENTICITY FINALE
Make sure your
story flows. It
doesn’t have to be
linear, just clear.
Focus on answering
the questions on
people’s minds.
You’ll likely iterate
on flow/structure 5
times.
Involve your
audience: Provide
details they can
relate to. It makes
the audience feel
closer to you.
Be authentic. It
shows. Don’t try to
pretend something
that you’re not. The
audience really
appreciate this.
Stop the story
when you have said
enough to keep
people interested.
Don’t answer all
the questions at
the beginning.
Leave them asking
for more.
Adrianna, 2010

21. Appendix

22. How to tell a
STORY

23. HOW TO BUILD A STORY
Begin with a
description of a place,
circumstance, or
premise that everyone
understands
Understand the
protagonist’s desires
Personalize the
protagonist so the
audience feels a
personal stake
1Get the audience’s
attention fast!
3Focus on the
protagonist or
character
2 Hone in on the
obstacles keeping
the protagonist
from his desires
The people in your story
have to want something

24. Audience compelled to take
action
Audience has a personal
stake in finding a solution
3 to 5 minutes each
4Know what you
want the audience
to do
Answer in a few
sentences
6Keep stories short
5 Ensure the audience
knows the point of
the story
HOW TO BUILD A STORY