Tell Your Customers A Story

When it comes to persuading others, rhetoric has its limits — it can sound didactic and boring. Stories are a much more effective way to convince others of your point of view. Here are three tips, courtesy of the Harvard Business Review, for shaping and telling a story that influences:

• Know your message. Underneath every good story, there must be a point. Remember your message and weave your narrative around it.
• Use the right example. Your story should center around a character that your audience likes and relates to.
• Support with facts. Your story is only effective if it is based on and supported by facts and figures. At the beginning or end, share relevant data to convince your audience that your point of view matters.