Strategic Storytelling in Business: How to Sell Your Message and Yourself
B Student Podcast Guest Addison Cursey Reveals How Theater Training and an MBA Education Combine for Success in Business
Pairing an undergraduate theater degree from Rollins College with an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins was a winning combination for Chief Marketing Officer Addison Cursey of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.
Her stage experience trained her for public speaking, cultivating a presence and capturing an audience. Her theater production experience translates to creating the setting, curating an immersive experience in a business setting and a sharp instinct for visual design. Capping it off, her MBA developed her management, leadership, marketing, sales and other crucial business skills.
On the 5th episode of the B Student Podcast, Addison and host Betsy Gardner, President and CEO of the Chamber, discuss this fusion of talent, training and experience and how it has propelled her to early success in her career. Even though she is a young C-suite executive, she is accomplished and effective. By pulling from her theater training, Addison is able to convey gravitas as a millennial when leading a meeting of executives who are Gen Xers or Boomers.
Betsy and Addison coincidentally share a background in the performing arts. Betsy was a trained musician and comes from a family of professional musicians and songwriters. As a result of that musical and performance training, Betsy's leadership and public speaking expertise is also shaped by that training.
How Storytelling Can Be Used to Communicate Effectively
As the art of storytelling is also explored, Betsy and Addison discuss what makes good storytelling and how to use it in business. They have bonded over two masters of the art form, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift.
How you communicate is as important as what you communicate. Addison shares some of her strategies that you can use in your own workplace, so that you can capture your audience's attention, deliver a message with impact and create an immersive experience.
Think about a Business Meeting Like a Stage Performance
Here are some strategies for using nonverbal cues to create an immersive meeting experience and captivate your audience.
- Costume – What are you wearing to convey? Who you are and how you relate to others in the room?
- Props – What items did you bring to help tell the story: presentations, beverages/snacks for comfort, other tangible items or examples to demonstrate your presentation?
- Setting – How does the room feel? Does it make your attendees comfortable?
- Overall Immersive Experience – Pull all of these elements together to create an immersive experience.
Good design is a language, not a style.
Design elements are as important in your communications as the copy. Treat it as a priority and not an afterthought. Good design elevates your brand, tells your story and helps sell your message.
- Be intentional with design elements in your communications.
- Don't overlook the importance of white space when creating good design. The eye needs places to rest.
- Is the design relevant and timely? Does it help communicate your brand and your message?
Master Your Speech: 5 Tips for Success
- Know your lines – Be Prepared
- Have 5 Bullet Points Ready to Speak About
- Know what you are going to say
- Know how you will say it
- Know when you will say it