There is one reason my daughter was able to remain content during our recent 10-hour drive to visit family. It’s the same reason she sits still when I brush her hair in the morning, remains calm while I’m cooking dinner, and stays quiet when I’m rocking her brother to sleep.
She loves a good story. And she’s not alone.
It turns out, everyone loves stories. They’ve played a central role in every culture around the world, as far back in history as we can go.
When you’re trying to communicate, storytelling can help you stand out. Good storytelling connects, engages and sticks with people. That’s why it’s so important in school marketing—in a world where everyone is over-saturated in content, we need to find a way to cut through the clutter and be remembered.
Recently, I stumbled on a quote from author James Patterson that struck me as perfect mindset for school marketers who are eager to embrace a storytelling approach for their school:
“I’m always pretending that I’m sitting across from somebody. I’m telling them a story, and I don’t want them to get up until it’s finished.”
This week, I encourage you to visualize that imaginary audience sitting in your office. As you read and write content for your school, ask yourself: is your audience held as captive by your story as a toddler with her favorite pile of storybooks?
Add the sparkle of storytelling to even the most straightforward of content, and you’ll begin to revolutionize the way your audience responds to your school.
To help get you started, here are some of our favorite posts on storytelling:
Now it’s your turn: what captivating story can you tell this week? Share your ideas in the comments below.