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Storyteller Tactics: the best business storytelling techniques in a box

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Ditch dull presentations. Tell great stories.

Storyteller Tactics is a card deck of 54 storytelling frameworks, prompts and exercises that help you influence and inspire the people you work with. Written by ex-BBC journalist and business storytelling expert, Steve Rawling.

Designed to guide you through the storytelling process. It takes you from why you need a story, right through to who to tell your story too.

Storyteller Tactics is used by facilitators to run brand, marketing and communications workshops. It’s used by designers and researchers to present and tell the story of their work. And it’s used by entrepreneurs and execs to pitch work and persuade clients.

In the deck, you’ll find: story arcs, persuasion techniques, sales pitches, research methods, story frameworks, copywriting tips and ways to hook people into your story.

Find out why our customers love Pip Decks so much. 

Story Building System

Do you know why you need a story?

ConceptConcept
Do you know where to find your story?

ExploreExplore
Do you know your role in the story?

CharacterCharacter
Do you know what your story needs to do?

FunctionFunction
Do you know how to plan your story?

StructureStructure
Do you know how to tell your story?

StyleStyle
Do you know how to share your story?

OrganiseOrganise
Great, you are ready to tell your story to the world!

Categories

Recipe Recipe

Stories can change the world. See which problems you can solve by combining different story tactics.

Stories that SellStories that Sell

Convince people that you can deliver. Stories work better than spreadsheets when it comes to building trust.

Show your value

Stories that MotivateStories that Motivate

Get people behind you. Persuade us to take a leap of faith and support your idea.

Make people act

Stories that ConvinceStories that Convince

Explain years of experience and hours of research to a non-expert audience. Get them to back your judgement.

Explain your expertise

Stories that ConnectStories that Connect

Walk a mile in another person’s shoes. Stories are a great way to see things from a different point of view.

Get closer to people

Stories that ExplainStories that Explain

Bring your strategy to life. Show why those abstract statements matter in the real world.

Clarify your goals

Stories that LeadStories that Lead

Build a stronger team by learning from each other’s stories of struggles, triumphs and setbacks.

Show the way

Stories that ImpressStories that Impress

Present your ideas with confidence. Don’t bury them under dusty layers of business jargon.

Nail that presentation!

“

Storytelling is a big part of my daily work as a Product Manager and having a handy deck of tactics has upped my storytelling game already.

Chris Burns

 

Chris Burns

Product Manager

Concept Concept

Stories shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. Frame your work as an epic adventure.

The Dragon & the CityThe Dragon & the City

Explain your project as if it’s an epic adventure. Get people excited about your plan of action.

Get people excited

Three Great ConflictsThree Great Conflicts

Show how your work helps people with life’s great battles. Conflict drives your story forward, because we want to know how it resolves.

Raise the stakes

Order & ChaosOrder & Chaos

Show how your project can impose order on a chaotic mess--or disrupt a system that’s too rigid.

Clarify your mission

Secrets & PuzzlesSecrets & Puzzles

Make your story stick in our minds: promise a secret waiting to be revealed or a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Get our attention

Rules, Cheats & RebelsRules, Cheats & Rebels

Tell us a rule, then show someone breaking it. Now you’ve got our attention: will they be punished or vindicated?

Keep us hooked

Good & EvilGood & Evil

Tap into strong feelings of right and wrong in your audience. Bring a moral conflict into your story.

Make your story matter

Universal StoriesUniversal Stories

Build your story on solid foundations. Use elements that everyone will recognise.

Find common ground

Curious TalesCurious Tales

Tell me what grabs your attention and you’re halfway to grabbing my attention too.

Explain what drives you

Circle of LifeCircle of Life

Help us recognise the characters, conflicts and changes in your story. Relate them to universal life stages.

Create a relatable story

Shock of The Old storyShock of the Old

We can get so hooked on imagining the future that we forget to look for inspiration in stories from the past.

Create intrigue and awe

“

The structures, the characters, and types of stories... I know these will be my go to guide for kickstarting creativity.

Louise Power

 

Louise Power

Learning & Development Manager

Explore Explore

Stories help us navigate confusing, unknown and changing situations. Make a map for your way ahead.

Story ListeningStory Listening

Listen to other people’s stories when you need their wisdom or support. Don’t just talk at them!

Get insights from others

Emotional DashboardEmotional Dashboard

Look for strong emotions when you need to find a story. What made you feel that way and what happened next?

Find your story’s heart

Data DetectivesData Detectives

Wrap your key facts up in a story if you want people to remember them.

Explain your data

Thoughtful FailuresThoughtful Failures

Every time you fail there’s a story to tell--and plenty of people ready to listen.

Learn from mistakes

That’s FunnyThat’s Funny

You can tell a great story about your project by finding "That’s funny ... " moments in your work.

Find unexpected insights

AbstractionsAbstractions

Don’t just ask questions, observe people in action. We often understand much more than we can explain.

Understand your users

Social ProofSocial Proof

You’re in a busy room. Suddenly a fire alarm goes off. What do you do?

Establish credibility

“

Helps turn boring business conversations to memorable and impactful stories.

Nur Karadeniz

 

Nur Karadeniz

Head of Experience & System Design

Character Character

Stories connect us to other people. Show us why we can trust you.

Trust Me, I’m an ExpertTrust Me, I’m an Expert

Win my trust. Tell me a story that shows your character and values in action.

Win our trust

What’s My Motivation?What’s My Motivation?

How will your user or customer respond to your idea? It helps if you know what’s driving them.

Figure people out

Drive StoriesDrive Stories

Why do you work? For the money, yes. But what really drives you? These stories build a better team culture.

Motivate your team

Hero & GuideHero & Guide

Stop talking about yourself. Make your user the Hero of your story. You play a supporting role: the Expert Guide.

Help others succeed

What’s It About?What’s It About?

Me: "So what are you working on?"
You: "Umm ... well ... er ... " Don’t be that person.

Get to the point

Cut to The ChaseCut to The Chase

Oh no, you’re losing your audience! Their mind’s are wandering. Quick, get their attention hack on you.

Don’t he dull

Function Function

Stories are more effective than facts or opinions by themselves. Put your stories to work.

Pitch PerfectPitch Perfect

Convince me to back your idea. Show me: what have you got that I need? And why should I trust you to deliver?

Sell your idea

Simple Sales StoriesSimple Sales Stories

Convince new customers to buy into your idea by telling stories about existing customers or users.

Win new customers

Story-ish ConversationsStory-ish Conversations

Find the insights buried beneath everyday conversations with your colleagues, customers or users.

Discover hidden insights

Icebreaker StoriesIcebreaker Stories

Get your team thinking in a story-ish way.

Warm up with stories

“

I’ve seen the Storyteller Tactics in action on a recent SharpFutures course and I was so impressed.

Ewan Vinnicome-Wallis

 

Ewan Vinnicome-Wallis

Project Director

Structure Structure

Stories carry us along thanks to a few basic patterns. Make your ideas flow in a story-ish way.

Man in a HoleMan in a Hole

This is the story of your first day at school or your first job. It’s every fear you faced and every lesson you’ve learned.

Show lessons learned

Rags to RichesRags to Riches

Cinderella, Rocky or Steve Jobs-it’s the same story.The rise to success from humble beginnings.

Show hidden value

No Easy WayNo Easy Way

Nothing good is ever easy. If something was good and easy, we’d be doing it already.

Keep it real

Pride & FallPride & Fall

This is one of the oldest stories we know. Icarus, Frankenstein and Titanic all follow its arc.

Convince your skeptics

DownfallDownfall

Macbeth, Lance Armstrong and Nokia: they all had a hidden flaw that brought them down.

Learn from failure

Epic FailEpic Fail

When your plans go wrong, you can play the blame game. Or you can make sense of the failure with a story.

Avoid the blame game

Innovation CurveInnovation Curve

Make your bold new idea seem less risky.

Convince the doubters

Voyage & ReturnVoyage & Return

Put adventure and the ties of home at the heart of your story. This will keep us hooked til the end.

Focus on change

Happy Ever AftersHappy Ever Afters

We’re suckers for a happy ending. Life is no fairy tale, hut you can always give your story a satisfying end.

Craft an ending

Five TsFive Ts

Keep these Ts in your back pocket in case someone puts you on the spot and you need to tell a story right now!

Shape your story

“

I can’t express enough just how much time, money, and effort the decks have saved me.

Marlena Gorska

 

Marlena Gorska

IT Consultant

Style Style

Stories carry useful information. Make sure people remember yours.

Movie TimeMovie Time

Tell me a story and a little movie starts playing in my head. I literally "see" what you mean.

Help us see

Story HooksStory Hooks

Craft a compelling hook at the start of your story. It will keep us listening til the end.

Grab our attention

Three is the Magic NumberThree is the Magic Number

Choose the most important parts of your story, then use these tricks to fix them in your audience’s memory.

Help us remember

Rolls Royce MomentRolls Royce Moment

"Cruising at 60mph, the loudest noise inside the Rolls Royce comes from the electric clock."

Make it vivid

Leave it Out!Leave it Out!

Tell us you’ve left something out and we will work hard to fill in the gap. And then we feel like it’s our story too.

Create some mystery

Show & TellShow & Tell

Keep people’s attention on you while you make a presentation. Make your Show and Tell work together.

Control your attention

Organise Organise

Stories work, so long as you use them well. Plan how you should tell yours.

Story BankStory Bank

Keep track of your stories-and the information behind them-if you don’t want to lose our trust.

Collect your best stories

Big, Small, Inside, OutsideBig, Small, Inside, Outside

You might have a Big Story to tell the world. But you’ll spend more time telling small stories to colleagues.

Tell the right story

Audience Profile

Know your audience. You can’t tell the right story if you don’t know what your audience needs.

Tell your story right
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