| Since the first caveman figured out how to tie a sharp | | | | communication solutions provider with a world-class |
| rock to the end of a sturdy stick with a piece of vine, | | | | portfolio of Connectivity, Infrastructure Management |
| and hack off slabs of mastodon meat with it for fire | | | | and IT Services. Because your thoughts, ideas and |
| roasting, storytelling has been the way knowledge has | | | | business requirements are entirely unique, XYZ |
| been passed from one person to another.Around the | | | | Company believes our role is to equip your business |
| campfire blaze, the tribal members would gather, the | | | | with leading-edge communication solutions specific to |
| little children gazing cautiously out from behind their | | | | your goals. XYZ Company collaborates with you to |
| parents, their eyes shining wide like silver dollars, | | | | better understand your business, its challenges and |
| listening... The grizzled old witch Doctor-can you hear | | | | how it operates. Not until then do we determine what |
| his crackling voice, as he spins a yarn of bygone | | | | you need - and what you don't. Our three main areas |
| days?There is learning in the story-how to surround | | | | of business are:"Can't you see that poor sod?", I said. |
| and kill a wholly mammoth, the cunning exploits of the | | | | "With your sales letter in his hands he lets out one last |
| ancient clansman, how the old man survived a vicious | | | | horrible scream, throws your stuff into the fire, and is |
| storm. There are stories of love and war, of the | | | | about to jump in after it when, just in time, he is |
| discovery of magical potions and incantations, of the | | | | rescued by a big burly fireman who smashes down |
| wicked cannibals to the east.Since the dawn of time, | | | | the door to his office and rushes in... Why not save the |
| stories have been the conduit of learning... the sacred | | | | poor man's life in the first place by beginning your sales |
| baton, passed from one generation to the next... | | | | letter with a benefit riddled story?"I could have said to |
| without which, human development would stand still.We | | | | my client, "Your copy is too formal and traditional and |
| are creatures of story...Just the other day I was | | | | somewhat lacking in originality." He would likely have |
| reviewing a lead generation campaign a client sent me | | | | forgotten all about it the next time he sat down to |
| for critique. He had also sent me some of his | | | | write. But he will never forget the story of the mad |
| competitors marketing materials, and I looked at them | | | | purchasing agent burning his office down.Telling stories |
| too.My young marketing friend had taken the same | | | | and listening to stories are the behaviors that most |
| lifeless approach as his opponents. He had begun as | | | | distinguish us as a species. We discriminate as adults, |
| most corporate advertisers do, with a lifeless litany of | | | | in many ways, based on our primary experiences-the |
| meaningless platitudes. It was about as interesting as | | | | stories of our childhood. They are forever implanted, in |
| warmed over oatmeal gone cold."Suppose you were | | | | both our conscious and unconscious. The drama of |
| the customer, " I said to my friend. "Be him for a | | | | movies, TV, and the theater are storytelling. Jokes are |
| minute. Realize that he faces stacks of these things, | | | | short stories. The parables of the Bible are |
| they're piling up to the ceiling in his office, these dry | | | | stories.Storytelling is in our blood. So is listening to |
| institutional marketing pieces he must read on his | | | | stories and relating to them. Ergo, story is the most |
| employer's time. No wonder he hates sales people and | | | | powerful structure you can possibly use to build any |
| marketers. He is drowning in their paper excrement. | | | | sales argument.When you open your copy with a |
| Can you see him? He wants to burn the piles | | | | story, you disarm your prospect's natural aversion to |
| up.Suddenly something snaps...He goes mad. He grabs | | | | being sold, and engage them in a way "ad speak" |
| the brochure on the top of the pile, rips off the top | | | | never can. This in turn dramatically increases the odds |
| sheet, lights a match to it and now, laughing, slobbering | | | | of having them actively consider the reasons why |
| all over himself, he feeds the little fire, a page at a | | | | they should want your product, and moves you |
| time.He drops the burning marketing package to the | | | | dramatically closer to making the sale.Daniel Levis is a |
| floor, and adds others to it until he has a large fire | | | | top marketing consultant & direct response copywriter |
| roaring in the center of his office. You can see him | | | | based in Toronto, Canada and publisher of the world |
| madly feeding the flames with sales letter after sales | | | | famous copywriting anthology "Masters of |
| letter until he comes to yours. He picks it up. It's the last | | | | Copywriting" featuring the marketing wisdom of 42 of |
| one left. By this time the drapes have caught fire and | | | | the world's greatest copywriters, including Clayton |
| the place is turning into an inferno. He stops for a | | | | Makepeace, Joe Sugarman, Joe Vitale, Bob Bly and |
| moment to read the last sales copy he will ever see. | | | | dozens more! |
| And what does he read?XYZ Company is a leading | | | | |