This course will help you develop the elements of both narrative fiction and persuasive writing that are applicable within a business context, helping business writers develop new approaches to communication.

Business storytelling is an essential course for anyone who is involved in copywriting, public relations, internal relations, marketing, communications or business management.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Scope and Nature of Storytelling

• Introduction to Storytelling
• Storytelling at Work
• Difference Between Storytelling and Story Writing
• Applications of Storytelling at Work
• Using Storytelling in Commercial Situations

2. Character Development

• Introduction to Characters
• The Characters in Our Business Story
• Brand Ambassadors and Influencers
• Our Customers in the Story
• Developing Your Characters

3. Plot Development

• Introduction to Understanding Plots
• The Audience
• Conflict
• The Seven Basic Plots
• Seven-Point Plot Structure
• I and We

4. Themes

• Introduction to Themes
• Universal Themes
• Identifying a Theme
• Themes and Brand Messaging
• Common Story Themes
• Developing a Theme

5. Styles

• Introduction to Styles
• Selecting a Narrator
• Selecting a Tense
• Presentation - Oral, Written or Visual
• Your Storytelling Style

6. Literary Devices

• Introductions to Devices Used to Transmit a Story
• Similes and Metaphors
• Personification
• Symbolism
• Colloquialism
• Archetypes
• Rhetorical Questions
• Chekhov’s Gun
• Other Literary Devices

7. Building Dramatic Tension

• Introduction to Tension
• Craft
• Character and Internal Tension
• Trust and Rapport

8. Delivery and Engaging with Your Audience and Final Project

• In-Person Delivery
• Telling Our Verbal Story
• Tips on Storytelling

COURSE AIMS

• Discuss the application of storytelling in work and business contexts.
• Develop the characters of a story.
• Develop the plot of a story in our business storytelling.
• Determine and develop a story theme.
• Compare different storytelling styles and determine appropriate styles and techniques for different workplace situations.
• Utilise a variety of different literary devices for storytelling at work and in business.
• Explain the use of tension in business and work, for different storytelling contexts.
• Deliver stories to an audience in an appropriate and effective way, in a business or work context.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Look at social media, advertising, marketing, blogs and so on of five different business. Look at how they tell stories.
• If you already have your own business/work for an existing business, make notes on how you currently use storytelling at work.
• Find a business you would like to run or work for and look at how they use storytelling.
• Look at some stories told by organisations. Try to find out the following: Their goal, their adversary, the hero, the support, the benefactor, beneficiary. Whilst doing this research, also consider, how well do you think they are telling their story?
• Spend some time thinking about how you would like to use storytelling at work. This could be to sell goods/service, to train staff, to sell goods direct, to promote something on social media etc. Try to think about a story to tell in relation to the above. Brainstorm your story, make a mind map or similar.
• Choose a company or organisation. This can be one you work for or one you are interested in. Find out their mission statement and vision statement. Look at their website, social media, blogs, advertising and any other forms of storytelling they produce. Identify their underlying themes. Try to talk with people from the organisation to get a true understanding of the essence of the business or company.
• Choose a product or service you would like to sell. Jot some ideas down about a potential theme, message and story/stories to sell this product. Spend an hour approximately planning stories about this product. Think about vlogs, blogs, TV adverts, print adverts, social media posts and other forms of storytelling you might use.
• Watch three to five adverts and try to determine the archetypes used. Make notes on the adverts watched and what they are selling. Briefly make notes on what the advert’s story is.
• Either watch five adverts or read five blogs. Consider the tension in them. What is the tension? Make notes on how the tension is developed.
• Record yourself telling two stories. Use tension in different ways – practice this. These could be short scripts you have written yourself, or a speech you have prepared, or any story you are comfortable or familiar with. Once recorded, listen back to each and gather your thoughts, undertaking a self-evaluation.