Creating a Special Moment
Time and Place enhance Story Impact.
This spectacular maple tree sits in the yard to the west of our Chicago apartment. From the third floor, we enjoy all the glory, color, and vibrance that nature gifts us every fall. For roughly two weeks, I see this from my SM.CS.office, our kitchen, and our dining room. Two weeks. It's fleeting. And that's what makes it so special. This tree tells a story.
Growing up in San Diego, I loved the constant beautiful weather and comfortable temperatures. Then I moved to colder climates and instantly saw the power of seasonal shifts I'd never fully known or understood. Skiing for a few days in Utah is one thing – living through a Boston, New York, or Wisconsin winter is something else. Sure, sub-zero temps hurt… then the leaves return and the days lengthen and you feel the warmth like you're actually a part of it. That's storytelling. Summers are intense… until the leaves fall again, cool, blue skies stretch out into perfect autumn nights, and the holidays arrive. Again, glorious storytelling. All marked by the passage of time and cycle of life.
Great #CorporateStorytelling can tie a day or location or unique occasion to your message and make it fly
Attaching a special moment in the time of a brand to a special moment in the life of the customer is undeniable and impactful. When you can help a listener to experience your content as a part of where they are and why, that content increases its chance of anchoring in their minds. Instead of delivering a generic pitch, your idea and your situation form a 1+1=3 equation, bigger than the sum of its parts.
Developmental molecular biologist and author of Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, has done extensive research on “event boundaries”, the way we separate information into segments triggered by emotions or actions, such as drawing an outline, tapping into a feeling, sparking personal investment, or walking through a doorway. Ever leave one room to find your spouse in another, then forget what you wanted to ask them? Yup, that's an event boundary. Walk back to the room you started in and you'll probably remember.
Why and What are often connected to Where and When
Location, time, situation, all help to create emotional intensity, which then prioritizes how memories are stored. Emotionally charged messages are easier to recognize, internalize, and memorize. And for longer and with more accuracy. Kind of a “REMEMBER THIS!” sticky note for the brain, attaching a moment or statement to a specific instance.
Bottom Line
Whatever story you want to tell, try connecting that story to the place where you tell it. Point out what's happening around you or what makes the occasion special and include that observation as part of your message. Create this connection and your story is more likely to stand up, stand out, and stick around.
