social media – Practically Speaking

Guest Blog by: Beth Scholes

Corporate storytelling is an important part of a social media strategy. Storytelling conveys the culture of the company, captures the heart of the organization, and highlights products just to name a few benefits of this tried and true classic method.

In her Blog How to Use Digital Storytelling as your Social Media “Secret Sauce” author Shanna Mallon shares five key points:

Show the human side
Share your Brand’s story
Work narrative into updates
Consecutive posts can tell the broader story
Use elements of storytelling

The power of storytelling is linked to Psychology; in fact human brains are wired to organize information into story form. Screenwriting coach Robert McKee, in Storytelling That Moves People, explains two persuasive methods: rhetoric and emotion. Rhetoric is the conventional method of using facts, stats, and quotes to persuade the audience. Yawn! While rhetoric engages the brain, it leaves the heart untouched. The most powerful method of persuasion is emotion. Storytelling requires skill that weaves information, arouses emotion, and heightens energy, all of which persuade the audience to take action.

Corporate storytelling must be authentic, including the grittiness of real life struggle. For storytelling principles refer to Storytelling That Moves People; McKee discusses:

Compassion
Skepticism
Acknowledging the dark side
Authenticity
Key questions
And much more

In the comments below, please share your experience with responding to an emotional corporate story.

Well known social media marketing consultant, Wendy McClelland, gave a well-received presentation last week to the newly launched CMNS 316, Communicating for Social Media. Wendy’s enthusiasm for leveraging the power of social media got the class hyped up and ready for this brand new course at the University of the Fraser Valley.

Twenty-five students slowly got the hang of using Twitter to write their notes instead of pulling out pencil and paper, and took the opportunity to tweet questions for Wendy to answer. The classroom was rife with electronic/digital/mobile technology with one projector and screen for Wendy’s slides and another for the Twitter feed; not to mention all the laptops and cell phones.

In the upcoming sessions of the course, students from the Communications, Business, Computer Information Sciences, Global Development Studies and other departments will be a exploring topics from social media theory to the latest digital tools and applying their knowledge to various forms of social media writing practices. Each participant will be part of a small team that will pitch a social media plan to a local not-for-profit or social enterprise. Clients include the Abbotsford Food Bank, Yarrow Ecovillage, Fronya Boutique, Family Life and the Mission Folk Festival.

If you are tired of being told to put your cell phone away during class, think about signing up for a course that improves your social media game and encourages you to friend, like, and tweet while the instructor is talking.

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Dr. Marcella LaFever (University of New Mexico, 2005) is an Associate Professor in the Communications Department at the University of the Fraser Valley. She specializes in intercultural communication and brings that expertise to various subjects such as communication for workplace, instruction, social media, team and public speaking contexts.