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Storytelling in Business:

Communicating your Message in Relevant, Clear and Memorable ways

10 Point Checklist
This checklist can help you create a better and more relevant story. You can use this checklist for your own story or to help someone else with theirs. Once you have done your first draft (e.g. email or speech), run through this checklist and make notes of what needs changing: 1. Who is your audience for this story: E.g. Employees, colleagues, boss, clients, prospects, family, etc. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Benefits to them. Whats in it for them to pay attention to your story? How might the message in this story
improve things for them or the people they serve? Why is this relevant to them?

2.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Set the platform: Where does this story begin? What do people need to know (facts, circumstances, context) that
will help people understand the message? (Hint: it should be in contrast to #4 below)

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Tilt the platform: What is the new element that changed things? (mishap, decision, conflict, discovery, problem)
(Hint: it should be in contrast to #3 above)

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Consequences: What happened as a result of this tilt or change? Who and what got impacted? (Hint: include
both hard and soft facts, objective and subjective) ________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What does it all mean? What did you learn? What is the core message here? (Hint: this is the place to include principles or the why at the core of your communication piece) __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Whats missing? Have you made leaps of logic? Where is it unclear? How might people misconstrue what you
are saying? Is there vital information missing that your audience needs to know?

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What needs to be cut? Is there any part that drags or get repetitive? Are you tangenting anywhere? __________________________________________________________________________________________

9.

What message do you want to tie this into? How might this story illustrate a point you need to make? __________________________________________________________________________________________ Subject line or title: What will capture attention? What is at the heart of your message? (fill this in at the end once youve written your first draft ) __________________________________________________________________________________________

10.

2009 Carla Rieger www.carlarieger.com, Tel: 1-866-294-2988, Email: Carla@CarlaRieger.com

Storytelling in Business

Further Resources
How to Anchor in the Learning ?
1. Write out the vacation story and email it to Carla@CarlaRieger.com.
Use the 10 Point Checklist to improve it. If you send it in by Fri. Sept. 23 you receive an e-Book gift entitled Storytelling in Business.

2. Try Memory Management: Before writing or presenting, re-call a time you communicated
well and remember the details using the five senses.

3. Work with a Mentor: Ask for feedback from someone you consider to be an excellent
communicator. Use the 10 Point Checklist where appropriate.

4. Be a Mentor: Offer constructive feedback to someone who requests it. You can learn a
even more about using stories to communicate by educating others.

5. Deconstruct emails and presentations for what works and what doesnt work.
E.g. Go to YouTube and compare Steve Jobs speech at Stanford with Bill Gates speech at Harvard.

6. Learn more: See list below.

Books & Resources ?


1. Change or Die (book) by Alan Deutschman 2. Leading Change (book) by John P. Kotter 3. A Whole New Mind (book) by Daniel Pink 4. The Storytelling Studio for Business (book & Cds) by Doug Stevenson 5. Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins (book) by Annette Simmons 6. The Leaders Guide to Storytelling (book) by Stephen Denning 7. Captivate Your Audience (audio CD) by Carla Rieger 8. The Heart of Presenting (book) by Carla Rieger 9. Speaking on the Funny Side of the Brain (e-book) by Carla Rieger 10. Storytelling in Business (e-book) by Carla Rieger 11. Why People Dont Listen (Free webinar on Wed. Sept. 28-3:15 pm - email for more info) 12. Free articles (www.carlarieger.com)

Carla Rieger .com

For more information call 604-222-2276 or email carla@carlarieger.com

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