S 01 | Ep 57 Mastering the Art of Customer-Centric Storytelling in Business

With the Emmy Award-winning business storytelling coach

Park Howell is an Emmy Award-winning business storytelling coach at the Business of Story and the author of The Narrative Gym for Business and Brand Bewitchery.

Key Takeaways

(00:01-07:49) How Storytelling Can Transform Your Business

(07:49-13:52) The Secret to Winning Customers

(13:52-20:48) The Real Challenge for B2B Marketers

(20:48-27:45) Crafting a Winning Story

(27:45-36:30) From Slideware to Storytelling

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The Hero's
Journey for Brands

Park Howell, a former advertising agency owner turned storytelling authority, empowers businesses to connect deeply with their audiences by applying Hollywood narrative frameworks like the hero's journey to brand messaging. 1 He champions the customer as the central hero of the story, advocating for simple, relatable narratives built with tools like the "And, But, Therefore" (ABT) framework to resonate emotionally and drive engagement. 2 Park's expertise helps marketers, particularly in the B2B space, move beyond simply promoting products to crafting compelling stories that generate leads, support sales, and foster customer success by focusing on audience outcomes and leveraging tools that transform content into a perpetually engaging asset.

1. How Storytelling Can Transform Your Business

Park Howell shares his journey from running a traditional ad agency to becoming a storytelling expert, highlighting how the digital age shifted the power from brands to the audience.

He discusses how Hollywood's storytelling techniques, like the hero's journey, can be adapted to create compelling brand narratives that resonate with customers.

Park Howell emphasizes that the key to effective storytelling is understanding that the customer, not the brand, is the true hero of the story. He explains how focusing on the outcomes that matter to your audience, rather than just promoting a product, can lead to greater success and engagement.

When I started studying these frameworks, everything from the hero's journey to Blake Snyder's “15 beats to the story”, it occurred to me that what Hollywood was using was the ideal template for a customer journey or a brand journey that we're all on. (Park Howell)

2. The Secret to Winning Customers

Park Howell shares an insightful story about a CEO who believed that simply being the leader in his industry was enough to attract customers. Park Howell challenged this mindset, explaining that customers don’t just care about your position in the market—they care about what’s in it for them.

The discussion highlights how the most effective stories are those that resonate with the audience, not just praise the brand. The speakers explore the importance of making storytelling simple and relatable so that customers can easily share and retell the story. Park Howell introduces the "And, But, Therefore" (ABT) framework, a powerful tool he learned from Dr. Randy Olson, which simplifies complex messaging into a compelling narrative structure that speaks to the emotional side of the audience.

Jeff Bezos of Amazon said it beautifully. He said, “A brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room.” I’ve co-opted that a little and believe that a brand is really the stories people tell about you when you're not in the room. (Park Howell)

3. The Real Challenge for B2B Marketers

The speakers discuss how marketers, often working with small teams and limited resources, are expected to generate leads, support sales, and drive customer success—all without the proper tools or recognition.

Alex Shevelenko highlights that many B2B marketers are stuck in a frustrating cycle, unable to create compelling content quickly enough to truly engage their audience. Park Howell guides the conversation towards understanding the root of this issue, emphasizing the importance of identifying the core problem before jumping to solutions. He introduces the idea that while marketers are often focused on the outcomes (like more leads or higher win rates), they first need to address the underlying problems preventing these results.

Through their discussion, they emphasize that the right tools, like the RELAYTO Content Experience platform, can transform content from just another deliverable into a powerful, always-on salesperson that engages customers around the clock.

4. Crafting a Winning Story

Park Howell emphasizes the importance of keeping the message simple and focused, addressing just one problem at a time, rather than overwhelming the audience with multiple issues.

He explains that when marketers jump straight to describing their product or service, they risk alienating their audience by not addressing their specific needs or problems. Instead, Park Howell suggests starting with a positive outcome that the customer desires, followed by the problem that’s preventing them from achieving it. This approach not only keeps the audience engaged but also builds trust by showing that the marketer truly understands their challenges.

The speakers also discuss the importance of customizing the narrative for different stakeholders within an organization. Park Howell shares an example from his experience working with Coca-Cola, where the same program had to be pitched differently to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Chief Sustainability Officer, and the HR department, each with their own set of priorities and concerns.

Your ABT is always a singular narrative. It speaks to one particular audience. You create different ABTs for different audiences and different problems. What do they want relative to your offering, and why is that important to them? (Park Howell)

5. From Slideware to Storytelling

Alex Shevelenko highlights the challenge many companies face when presenting to diverse buying committees, where traditional slide decks often fail to engage all stakeholders. He explains how RELAYTO's technology allows companies to create modular, personalized content for each decision-maker, ensuring that everyone finds their relevant information quickly.

Park Howell expands on this by emphasizing the importance of understanding the audience before crafting a presentation. He draws parallels between effective business storytelling and Hollywood narratives, suggesting that companies should develop a core brand narrative that resonates across all departments. By tailoring messages to different stakeholders while maintaining a unified overarching theme, businesses can keep their presentations focused and engaging.

The speakers explore the pitfalls of traditional tools like PowerPoint and PDFs, which often prioritize the creator's needs over the audience's experience. Instead, they advocate for a shift towards content that is not only informative but also engaging, relevant, and tailored to the specific needs of each audience segment.

My overarching message is to excel through the stories you tell. However, depending on who I'm talking to, it will take on a different color. I’ve got to support it from a sales and marketing standpoint, a learning and development standpoint, an HR standpoint, and a leadership standpoint. (Park Howell)

Check the episode's Transcript (AI-generated) HERE.