Many of the great lessons we remember are not those that are taught in lecture, but rather those that are expressed through story. People have a tendency to connect with stories on a deeper level; they are relatable and are more personal than a series of facts; stories elicit an emotion. The formation of memories is a natural response to a story with personal significance or one that triggered an emotional reaction.

Online Video Marketing
There isn’t anything overly remarkable about the story The Tortoise and The Hare, yet the lesson learned from the fable is the most commonly recognized moral of all time. If someone says, “Slow and steady wins the race,” more than likely the first thing you think of is The Tortoise and The Hare. People connect with the story, with the meaning, and thus it’s committed to memory without much effort. It makes an impact.

You’re not going to make an impact with your prospects if you set out to tell them how you’re the best and what bells and whistles your product has. Instead tell them why you’re in the business that you’re in, why you’re selling that product. In the words of Simon Senek, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. … The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.” Facts and figures on what you do or what you sell is unlikely to convince the masses, but if you start with what you believe, you’re more likely to elicit those emotional responses from your audience and connect with them.

As Senek points out, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t gain millions of followers for his “I Have a Plan” speech; he spoke passionately and gained popularity and followers with his beliefs. He “simply” had a dream.

What vision are you communicating? Senek touches on an example that everyone is familiar with, Apple, Inc. This iconic company “starts with why.” Their advertising inspires customers by pointing out that everything they do challenges the status quo; then they tell you how and only then do they discuss the products affected by that philosophy. A majority of advertisements discuss product, features, and then benefits. A majority of advertisements lack inspiration. Apple is, by any definition, a computer company, yet their philosophy makes us all comfortable not only buying computers, but also MP3s, DVRs, TVs, accessories, etc. from them. Apple has inspired not only their customers, but they have also inspired change across all industries.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”