As an entrepreneur, one may have passion when one is pitching your solution to investors and customers. But passion alone won’t make one more technology pitch stand out above all the rest. Everyone remembers a good personal story. Thus it behooves one to highlight one’s message with a bit of storytelling. Storytelling in business means personalizing communication here and there with anecdotes to highlight important points, and make the message come alive to peers and constituents. It is not about trying to be a stand-up comic, or weaving theatrical tales. Here are some key ways that personal stories can raise the message above the standard sales pitch. First, it is important to show that one is authentic and deserves another’s trust. Sharing stories is the first step to building a real relationship with other people in business, as well as in one’s personal life. Next, it is imperative to connect to people’s emotion as well as logic. When it comes to the art and science of persuading others, one can never afford to forget the power of emotions. At least one study has shown that 90 percent of decisions are made based on emotion, but that people then go back to logic to justify their position. Third is to relate when and where one’s passion started. In most cases, a new startup idea and plan is driven by a specific personal incident that has instilled a conviction about this opportunity. Next is to explain one’s contribution to a higher purpose. It is popular to highlight how a solution contributes to a higher purpose, such as saving the environment or helping the less advantaged. Additionally, it is unfortunate that most elevator pitches, product descriptions, and marketing messages are abstract, and include no characters at all. People remember people, with associated emotions, whether that main person is you, someone you know, or a customer you lost. Weave a real person throughout your message.  Read More >>