How to clarify your message so people listen | Donald Miller | TEDxNashville

Meeting a Reader and the Importance of Summarization

• About 20 years ago, the author was on a plane to Indianapolis, Indiana, to speak at a conference, and he met a man who was reading his latest book, but the man didn't recognize the author despite his picture being on the back cover of the book (58s).
• The author realized he was great at writing long books but terrible at summarizing his ideas in a way that would make people want to read them, which led to a new career focused on helping people summarize their ideas (1m37s).
• The author believes that the wrong people often have the microphone, and those with the best ideas aren't great at getting people interested in those ideas, which is a problem that needs to be fixed (2m24s).
• The author spent years writing memoirs, but when the publisher asked for an eighth one, he decided to help others tell their stories instead, and tackle the problem of why people listen to some individuals and ignore others (3m2s).

The Power of Story and Attention

• The author learned about story and story structure while writing his books and discovered that story is a powerful tool to get people's attention, with research indicating that up to 47% of the time people are daydreaming or not paying attention (3m32s).
• The author believes that story is the only tool that can get a group of people to pay attention for an extended period, making it the most powerful tool known (4m8s).
• Research on story and story structure was conducted to understand how to clarify messages and capture people's attention, which led to the discovery that story has been proven to increase focus, elevate empathy, and reduce self-referential thinking (4m24s).

Framework and Formula for Storytelling

• A framework and formula for storytelling were developed, which may ruin stories for viewers by revealing their formulaic nature, but can also help people understand how to clarify their message and get their ideas across (5m35s).
• The framework is based on seven ancient narratives that are over 2,500 years old and have been studied and refined over time, including by Aristotle in his book "Poetics" (6m35s).
• The seven sound bites, or plot points, are essential elements that happen in almost all stories and teach us what human beings want to pay attention to (6m58s).

The Hero's Want and Audience Engagement

• The first essential element of a story is a character, specifically a hero who wants something very specific, which is a crucial rule that amateur screenwriters, business people, and thought leaders often break (7m11s).
• The hero's desire for something specific is what captures the audience's attention and makes them invested in the story, as opposed to a vague or general goal (7m27s).

Applying the Storytelling Formula

• The formula for storytelling can be applied to various areas, including selling products, getting kids to brush their teeth, and sharing ideas, by understanding how to structure a story in a way that resonates with human brains (6m17s).
• The study of narrative is not just about storytelling, but also about understanding how to get human brains to pay attention and engage with a message (6m53s).
• The seven story structures are not just limited to movies, but can be applied to various forms of communication, including business and personal interactions (7m2s).

Effective Communication and Sound Bites

• To effectively communicate, it is essential to be specific and define what the stakeholder wants, and then clearly communicate it in a sound bite, or else they will lose interest (7m53s).
• The first sound bite should identify something specific that the stakeholder wants, and the second sound bite should be about the problem the hero actually has (8m21s).

The Problem as the Hook

• The problem is a crucial element in storytelling, as it serves as the hook that grabs the audience's attention, and without a problem, there is no story (8m26s).
• A good story should have a problem that creates tension and makes the audience want to know more, and this principle can be applied to engaging people about ideas by talking about their problems (9m55s).
• To effectively engage people, it is recommended to talk 75% about the customer's problems and 25% about the products or solutions, as this approach can lead to more sales (10m9s).

The Guide's Role

• The story isn't over after defining the stakeholder's problem; it is essential to enter into their story and play the role of a guide, who helps the hero win the day (10m49s).
• The guide, like Yoda, Gandalf, or Mary Poppins, should position themselves as a helper, not the hero, as the hero is weak and needs guidance (11m21s).
• When giving a presentation, it is crucial to make the audience the hero of the story and position oneself as the guide, as this approach can lead to more effective communication and engagement (11m17s).
• In a story, the hero is the second weakest character, who is ill-equipped, afraid, unwilling to take action, and in desperate need of help, which is why one should position themselves as the guide instead of the hero in their stakeholder's story (11m35s).
• Positioning oneself as the hero in the story removes them from their stakeholder's story, making it unlikely to do business together, and the audience can sense whether or not the speaker is the hero or the guide (11m50s).
• The guide is the one who has conquered the hero's dilemma and can help them win the day, which is what people are looking for, so it's essential to position oneself as the guide in their stakeholder's story (12m10s).

The Three-Step Plan

• Once the customer's problem is identified, and the speaker has positioned themselves as the guide, a simple three-step plan is needed to build a bridge from the problem to the solution, as people tend to engage with simple steps (12m28s).
• The three-step plan should be clear and concise, like the steps Luke takes to destroy the Death Star, and should be presented in a way that challenges the audience to take action (12m49s).

The Call to Action

• Challenging the audience to take action requires being direct and clear about what is expected of them, rather than being passive-aggressive or elusive, and should include a specific call to action (13m45s).
• A clear call to action is essential, as people will not take action if they are not told what to do, and should be direct and specific, such as "sign the petition" or "vote for me" (14m29s).
• Being crystal clear about what is expected of the audience is crucial, as people will not engage in mind-reading, and a clear call to action will help them understand what to do next (15m7s).
• Clear calls to action are essential for engaging stakeholders, as vague instructions like "call me" are insufficient. (15m19s)

The Stakes

• A compelling message must include stakes, where something significant is won or lost based on the audience's actions. (15m40s)
• The message should include sound bites that define both the success of taking action and the failure of not engaging. (15m50s)
• Without stakes, stories lose their impact, as illustrated by a hypothetical scenario involving Liam Neeson. (16m4s)
• Stakeholders should be given a vision of a better future and warned about the consequences of inaction. (16m44s)

Effective Storytelling Techniques

• Effective storytelling techniques, proven over 2,500 years, are crucial for capturing an audience's attention. (17m5s)
• Successful communication involves inviting stakeholders into a story rather than positioning oneself as the hero. (17m30s)

Examples of Storytelling

• An example using "The Bourne Identity" demonstrates how to structure a story with a hero, a problem, a guide, a plan, and stakes. (18m5s)
• A successful used car franchise dominates the industry by intuitively using a similar storytelling framework for both messaging and business strategy. (19m3s)
• A car dealership successfully sells used cars by clarifying their message and inviting customers into a story where their problems can be resolved, resulting in an $8.75 billion strategy (19m31s).

The Car Dealership's Success

• The dealership's approach involves empathizing with customers' frustrations, promising a transparent buying experience, and offering a 30-day money-back guarantee, which helps customers avoid stressful negotiations and results in a fair deal (19m40s).
• Clarifying a message and inviting people into a story can help individuals and businesses get heard and understood, as it has helped over a million people (21m3s).

Clarifying the Message

• Using a story framework with seven specific sound bites can help people engage with a message, but if the message is not clarified, it will continue to be ignored (21m11s).
• A powerful message can be used in various situations, including personal and professional settings, as seen in the example of an Uber driver named Christian who sought advice on breaking up with his girlfriend (22m1s).
• When people stop telling their own story or spitting facts and data, and instead invite others into a story about them winning the day, people pay attention (23m32s).
• A clarified message can be so powerful that it should be used carefully, as it can have a significant impact on others, as seen in the example of the speaker who avoids using it in casual conversations (21m28s).

Helping Others Tell Their Stories

• Life becomes more meaningful when one stops telling their own story and instead helps others tell theirs, allowing them to be heard and understood (23m45s).
• Playing the guide rather than the hero can make life more meaningful, as it involves helping others win (23m59s).
• Using seven sound bites in various contexts, such as casual conversations, presentations, landing pages, and messaging and marketing campaigns, can help get one's ideas heard (24m6s).
• Clarifying one's message is key to getting people to listen (24m17s).