You’re pitching an important piece of business. How should you start? Rattle off some numbers? Dazzle your potential client with tech specs?

Consider a compelling story instead.

Stories have been a powerful part of human evolution and survival. Stories are fundamental to culture and society. Stories are also fundamental to business.

The Neurobiology of Story

Humans are wired for stories. Advances in brain science show how stories activate multiple parts of the brain, strengthening memory as well as bonding.

Stories fire up a cauldron of brain chemicals:

Cortisol

The brain releases cortisol when something grabs our attention. If you tell a great story, cortisol will keep your audience rapt.

Dopamine

Dopamine is the brain’s pleasure chemical. A shot of dopamine from your story (or online post) keeps them coming back for more.

Oxytocin

Some call oxytocin the “wonder drug of storytelling.” Oxytocin creates empathy. Oxytocin inspires us to bind with the hero of a story.

Mix these three chemicals together and you inspire action. You better make your stories good if you want to get the business.

Blow PowerPoint to Bits

“I advise business people to begin every presentation with a compelling, human-scale story,” advises Professor Paul Zak, Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University.

“Findings on the neurobiology of storytelling are relevant to business settings. Character-driven stories with emotional content result in a better understanding ... and enable better recall,” Zak tells us.

He concludes: “In terms of making impact, this blows the standard PowerPoint presentation to bits.”

So if you want to succeed in business, master the art and neurobiology of storytelling.

@RickLakeNAlpha #ship30for30 Atomic Essay #3