The one thing that all great storytellers do

Last weekend, I went on a golf weekend with 14 university buddies.

A couple of them are outstanding storytellers.

They capture the spotlight without even trying.

What’s the secret?

A key part is their delivery.

As a listener, you’re eager to hear what happens next.

The stories have highs and lows, and ups and downs.

The storytellers are animated and dramatic. It’s a performance.

But I would suggest a critical element is a focus on the audience.

The storyteller is talking about their adventures but the stories are designed to entertain and engage.

And that’s the great brand storytelling: it’s not about you, it’s about them (your customer, investors, employees, partners, the media).

For all the talk about marketing channels, tools, and mediums, it comes down to how to do you engage the people who matter.

For what it’s worth, I’m a terrible golfer.

But golf is a great excuse to spend time with friends.