Category Archives: messages that matter

Perhaps it’s indicative of alcohol’s margins that they often have great advertisements. That is, they can afford to get their words right. So, and in no way condoning or encouraging alcohol consumption (though I do drink), here’s a very clever way to remind people Stella Artois has stood the test of time. “600 years of … Continue reading A more than beerly acceptable way to promote yourself

As an individual, we are all many stories. From our sex to upbringing, religious and political affiliations, likes, food preferences…you name it, depending on your start point we can tell different yarns. Our businesses too are many stories. You could focus on many different aspects of what and how you provide a product or service. … Continue reading Why you can only tell one story (initially)

It would be interesting to know how long it took DHL to come up with its slogan/tagline (first, most important story). You can see it on their distinctive yellow courier vans – Excellence. Simply delivered. According to DHL’s website, this its actually its mission; its vision being to be the Logistics Company for the World. … Continue reading Three words – well chosen. Period

To know what your business really really is, and express it in a form that resonates with all is rightly a holy grail. Understand and use your business essence, expressed as words, and you: Have the basis of your first, most important story…and all other stories Have an internal company rallying call Have soul However … Continue reading Your essence – the gem at the heart of your business

The world and its climate is going to hell in a handbasket. Yep…I get and accept the science…and that we’d better not mess around too much in slashing our carbon emissions (and also stop plundering the rest of our planet’s resources). However there is a vital missing message around the “I’m telling you something and … Continue reading The vital missing message from climate change action

“You’ve got to tell a story” is heard so often it’s almost a cliche. Such an exhortation is more often than not heavily directed at science and science policy storytelling. But no one ever tells you how. Well, here’s a (summarised) how – based on a ‘science of stories’ – written by Michael D Jones … Continue reading How to write a scientific narrative

Whether you find Donald Trump appealing or appalling, there’s no way you can sit on the fence in your opinion of the world’s greatest liar. (Check out The Washington Post science article about ‘Why liars lie’). One aspect of language the Twitterer in Chief has mastered though – surely as a byproduct of his low-level … Continue reading From a metaphor POV at least, here is someone to (partly) emulate

If your story is on point, it effectively is also your strategy. That’s because clarity of both story and strategy is mutually reinforcing, and essentially the same thing. Australian Irishwoman Bernadette Jiwa runs a highly successful business and blog called ‘The Story of Telling’ (don’t I wish I’d thought of such a clever reversing of … Continue reading Ten benefits of strategy as story

Restricting yourself to 10 words, tell me about your business. Is it simple? Have you described why someone should be interested in your product or service? Is it succinct? Have you given me a what and a why? Does it resonate? Is part of the heart and soul of who you are evident along with … Continue reading Simple…succinct…resonating?

There’s an old saying that if you don’t tell your own story, somebody else will. Which means if we want to have a say in how someone else relates our brand or company, then it is in our major self-interest to deliberately craft that story. Such an intent starts with your first story – a … Continue reading If you don’t tell your own story…somebody else will