I don’t know about you, but when I get into a project, I really enjoy listening to an audiobook. Since I found out that Spotify does audiobooks, I have been listening to even more. The book I am sharing today came from one that I found off of Spotify by Kindra Hall, called Stories that Stick. This book took me by surprise. I’ve always been interested in stories and how readers and listeners related to them, but this took marketing and storytelling to a whole new level.
If you follow Donald Miller, you need to be following Kindra Hall. This book was just that good. Let’s dive in.
Before we dive in to the review on the book, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):
- Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
- Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
- Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
- Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.
Disclaimer: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.
Book Description:
What stories do you need to tell, and how do you tell them?
Stories That Stick provides a clear framework of ideals and a concise set of actions for you to take complete control of your own story, utilizing the principles behind the world’s most effective business storytelling strategies.
Professional storyteller and nationally-known speaker Kindra Hall reveals the four unique stories you can use to differentiate, captivate, and elevate:
- The Value Story—convince customers they need what you provide.
- The Founder Story—persuade investors and customers your organization is worth the investment.
- The Purpose Story—align and inspire your employees and internal customers.
- The Customer Story—allow those who use your product or service to share their authentic experiences with others.
Telling these stories well is a simple, accessible skill anyone can develop. With case studies, company profiles, and anecdotes backed with original research, Hall presents storytelling as the underutilized talent that separates the good from the best in business.
Stories That Stick offers specific, actionable steps readers can take to find, craft, and leverage the stories they already have and simply aren’t telling. Every person, every organization has at least four stories at their disposal. Will you tell yours?
My Review:
From the very first page I was hooked. I’ve been an author for over eight years, and I still find myself entranced by a good story. Stories that Stick walks you through the science behind why we resonate with stories. If done well, the story you tell will turn on your reader/listener’s brain, transporting them into the story, becoming one of the characters and truly losing themselves inside the story.
This goes hand-in-hand with your marketing efforts, if you run a business. Hall gives several examples of what types of stories work in specific situations and helps you identify which ones you should or shouldn’t tell.
However, I also feel like it relates to the stories that you may tell in your novel if you’re a writer. If you have a character trying to convince others, what are they trying to convey?
Is it a purpose story? Is it a founder story? Or something else?
Reading this book helped me to one realize how I can do better in my marketing efforts, but also see what stories will resonate with readers as I share them throughout my novels. Pretty cool!
I cannot give this book high enough praise. I was hooked from story number one and I listened to it, bought the hardcover and and am rereading it for the second time with a highlighter and sticky notes if that gives you a clue on how good it is.
If you own any sort of business, you need to have this book on your shelf. And if you were a writer, you should also have this book on your shelf because you can see how different stories resonate with different types of audiences and how to make things really pop in your manuscript.
“A story allows people to fall in love with the product, appreciate the service, and feel compelled to act.”
~Kindra Hall
How I rated this book:
- Plot Structure: 10/10; While there are no questions at the end of each chapter like we typically find, you can still take the tips found and in the text to help you identify which stories you should be telling in your narrative.
- Language: 1/10; No language concerns
- Violence: 1/10; No violence issues with this book.
- Sexual Content: 1/10; No explicit content in this book.
Conclusion:
I highly recommend Stories that Stick for anyone looking to tell a better story, whether in business, novel writing, or life.
You can check out more about the author by visiting her site https://www.kindrahall.com.
