Gerry, thanks for the powerful copy that has established SureShade as a viable product. We even received a request for a price quote from someone who stopped by the booth at the end of day when we stepped away - so all they really had to go on was the information conveyed in the brochure!
—Dana Russikoff, SureShade, The World's First Power-Driven Retractable Boat Top, Rodan Enterprises, LLC. Gerry, you blew me away with your presentation. Your ability to tell a story is superb. You held us rapt, glued to your words and images. There were times when the whole room was rocking with laughter and other moments I was touched deeply by the humanity you highlighted. It was one of the best presentations of the conference!
—Seth Kahan President, Performance Development Group, Inc., Golden Fleece Organizational Storytelling Conference 2007, Washington, DC
Gerry blends hardnosed business experience with the soul of a creator. As a storyteller, marketer, teacher, and creative writer, Gerry can help people tap into not only genuine meaning, but genuine messages - messages about value, messages about marketing, messages that make the cash register ring. And his work helps leaders lead and helps make companies great - from the inside out.
There are a ton of firms with "ready" solutions who will claim to "customize" their off-the-shelf programs for business writing or marketing communications or corporate culture or brand strategy or presentation skills - but Gerry's work clearly and strongly stands apart from all of that.
Gerry helps clients (including me) win more, lose less, and make more money. It's just that simple.
—David Newman, Founder, Unconsulting He gave me some valuable tools for presentations: how to order a story in an interesting and clear fashion.
—Tina Nocera
Founder,
Parental Wisdom Thank you for sharing your knowledge, experience and stories with us. You are a powerful brand. I loved your writing.
I'm sure we'll find reasons to have you back! I've received lot of compliments for last night's experience.
—Valeria Maltoni, Communicator,
Company of Friends Coordinator
(Fast Company) Philadelphia I loved your presentation and felt really empowered by it. Loved your examples and your illustrations. Being a Southerner means I know good storytelling when I see it. I found it energizing and a very positive experience. The interactivity was a great teaching/learning tool.
—Ann Caldwell, Vice President, Event Planning
Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group Gerry made me realize I can present dry material in a captivating way using stories. I liked his style. I am very impressed how he remembered the specifics shared by participants and utilized them in his teaching.
—Pete Dunn
Financial Services Rep.
First Financial Group
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Who needs STORIES THAT WORK®?
If you struggle in business to turn language into the . . .thoughts you intend, actions you require, and results you expect, . . . then you may need to re-think and re-energize how you are communicating.
Especially if you want your reach to extend beyond your grasp. Which is precisely how executives get things done in any organization or in the marketplace.
What STORIES THAT WORK® Consulting Does
Stories that Work™ takes you back to a skill that came naturally to you before "professional" or "formal" business-speak beat it out of you. We're hard-wired to tell stories; yet, their power is largely unexploited in day-to-day business.
Trust your own experience: What makes a business case memorable? Is it the bullet points and spreadsheets or the person making the presentation? It's an axiom of the selling trade that people buy YOU before they buy anything you are selling. Stories that Work™ makes you more buy-able.
STORIES THAT WORK®
- identifies and develops stories that drive corporate strategy, marketing, communications, sales, branding, corporate culture, financials and leadership.
- makes critical documents and presentations more memorable and persuasive, so they "stick" and get action.
- trains and coaches executives to expand and improve their communication skills.
The STORIES THAT WORK® Process
- Design Session: Assessing needs and setting objectives
- Story Audit: Finding the right stories to develop
- Story Structure: Applying a simple narrative format
- Story Drafting: Getting it down on paper
- Story Refinement: Shaping it for dramatic effect
- Story Delivery: Getting it out
This process is flexible and includes various storytelling formats, depending on the kind of story you want to tell. Depending on the number and depth of stories to be told, the process could be as brief as a day or take multiple days or be a retained consultancy. StrategicStory™ and BrandStory™ typically demand more time, analysis and research upfront.
Stories that Work™ delivers written or verbal stories. However delivered, a well told story has heightened intensity and power.
Why stories in business?
Are stories and storytelling a "soft" communication skill, maybe nice to have but not really necessary? The distinction between "soft" or "hard" is irrelevant; there is only effective communication.
Stories can be a spot-on, necessary and powerful tool, lashed tightly to strategic goals, plans, selling, and outcomes. If stories entertain, so much the better, but first, they must get a job done.
The informational-analytical mode of communication pre-dominates in business and it's absolutely necessary; however . . .
Nearly 30 years of working in domestic and international marketing and communications has taught me that stories are a universal medium for getting your point across and getting done what has to get done.
If you want to tell a story to . . .punch through the noise, make a lasting impact, close a sale, and work as hard as you do, we should talk.
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