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Storytelling for Influence

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Three rules, seven tips and one trick

JoAnna Rahim, Sr. Director of Storytelling Consumer Product

Develop your blueprint & build your prototype

Myriah Westrum, Consumer Enablement Design Studio

Discussion panel: unveiling the art of storytelling at UHC

Mohammad Hamel, Shynah James, and Joanna Rahim facilitated by Myriah Westrum

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AGENDA

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Why Storytelling?

“You’re never going to kill storytelling, because it’s built into the human plan. We come with it.”

-- Margaret Atwood

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Where to start?

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“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

-- Mark Twain

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Rule 1. Assume Nothing

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Rule 2. Cut it Out!

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Rule 3. Help others understand the value

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Tip 1. Shape

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Tip 2. Friendship

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Tip 3. Change

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Tip 4. Emotions

Loved

Heard

Safe

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Tip 5. Coordinate

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Tip 6. Action & Amazement

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Tip 7. Format

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Read / Write

Visual

Kinesthetic

Auditory

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One Trick – Steal!

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Develop your blueprint & build a prototype

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Develop your blueprint

Zero in on your audience, their needs and the most powerful way to move them

The brief

The big idea

Who’s your audience?

�What are their needs?

What are you trying to achieve?

The medium

Ways to convey your story

What’s the story really about?

Ask yourself 3 questions:

Does your big idea capture a problem you’re trying solve?
Is it compelling?
Is it clear and concise?

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Build your storytelling prototype

Get your story out of your head and into the hands of others for feedback

Build

Share

What’s the story really about?

Reflect

Every bit of feedback is in service of making your story better

Hit record

Post-it

Bar exam

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Design for impact

Move and motivate your audience toward action using tone and style

Setting the right tone

6 tips for story impact

Make it personal

Get emotional

Use anecdote and reflection

Make it visual

Give a call to action

Stay inspired

Dear Queen of England

Write a different letter to three people on the same topic.

Your best friend
A young child
The Queen of England

Don’t default to overly business language

Communicate like you actually speak

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In any business setting, you need to be persuasive. Whether you need buy-in from a product stakeholder or want to inspire others, persuasion begins with a compelling story. If you want to motivate people toward change, you need to invite them to imagine something different.

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Panel Discussion

Unveiling the art of storytelling at UHC

Facilitated by Myriah Westrum

Mohammed Hameed

Sr. Manager, User Experience

Claims & Financial Well-Being

Joanna Rahim

Sr. Director, Storytelling

UHC Consumer Product

Shynah James

Sr. Manager, User Experience

Claims & Financial Well-Being

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What is your superpower when it comes to storytelling and why?

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How do you structure your stories?

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How are you using storytelling in your day-to-day work?