Storytelling has been a primary means of passing down information for thousands of years. From cave paintings, to oral narratives, to music and dance, stories help us to examine and share our world with others. While the ways and technologies that we use to tell stories are ever evolving and changing, the roots and principles of storytelling remain the same. Here at Silver Fox, we help clients craft and deliver compelling stories every day.

‍

What makes a story compelling? What are the crucial components necessary to produce an impactful story? We sat down with our own Todd Arbuckle, Visual Communications Strategist here at Silver Fox, and picked his savvy brain. Todd is a graphic designer with over 30 years’ experience. He has helped thousands of speakers tell their stories in an impactful way. Although it’s nearly impossible to generalize his process in just a few bullet points, here are some key ideas that we’ll dive into over the next few weeks to consider when developing your own story:

‍

Crucial takeaways in a nutshell:

• Start with the foundation—the big picture—and then fill in the details.
• Constantly ask: who, what, when, where, why, and how, in order to see the whole story from the audience’s perspective.
• Understand that a story is ever changing and will evolve as more information trickles in.
• Take time to align your story to your strategy as this will set the tone and narrative. Patience is a virtue.
• Create an emotional connection. Impactful storytelling takes many forms—but needs to prompt a reaction with your audience.

‍

Want more? Stay tuned for next week's post as we dive deeper into the steps and components of creating an impactful story.