What’s top of mind for the marketing head at one of the world’s top three brands? It’s not what you’d expect. In a company known for its emphasis on data, analytics, and new technology tools – Lorraine Twohill, SVP of Global Marketing at Google, says great marketing still comes back to the basics of creative messaging. Here are a few key takeaways from her recent interview with McKinsey Quarterly*. Creative fundamentals are vital – even … [Continue reading]
Storytelling
How to craft a compelling story for any sales conversation
In my previous post we looked at why stories always trump slides in sales presentations. Now what? How do you actually go about creating compelling stories for your sales messaging? Here are a few principles to help make the stories you tell – whether in person or in writing – more memorable and more effective. 1. Create tension – Tension is one of the most basic elements of great storytelling. It’s what keeps us on … [Continue reading]
Is it time to throw away your slides and tell more stories?
I was recently at a large annual event in the tech industry. While there were several big-name speakers and some very creative presentations, one stood out above the rest. Everyone was talking about it after the event. It was by the former CEO of a major insurance broker (who would have thought!). What did he do differently? He spent his entire speech – the better part of an hour – just telling stories. There was … [Continue reading]