Storytelling: Turning $120 Into $3,000

 
 The Weekly Takeaway is a short weekly digest sent to subscribers every Sunday about the biggest learning of my week. It's as much an internal log as it is public facing. Though, often I feel the process is something everyone can learn from — no matter the endeavor — so sharing here on the interwebs, as well.
 
 
 

  Photo Credit: Woody Kelly, Unsplash;
 
 
 The Weekly Takeaway: A Good Narrative Adds More Value Than You Think
 
 I've always been a sucker for a good story. Most of us are, hence Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. But, beyond the more obvious narrative-forward topics of movies and books, I stumbled upon some articles talking about how important story telling is in anything we're selling, pitching or promoting to others. And the result became clear: if you don't build a story for your audience, often others will create their own versions of stories for your products and services for you. But if you do, you have an opportunity to vastly increase the perceived value of what you're pushing.

Here's an example as described in Austin Kleon’s book Show Your Work! (and also reported in Stew Fortier's Blog)

Two researchers, Joshua Glenn and Rob Walker, put together an experiment attempting to quantify the value storytelling with actual dollar amounts.

The experiment: the two rummaged through thrift stores for useless, inexpensive junk (read random crap) and brought in professional story tellers to craft descriptions for each item in an attempt to “[attribute] significance” where there was none.

They then took to Ebay where they listed each item with the new descriptions and started the auctions at the original thrift store price.

By the end of the experiment, they had sold $128.74 worth of trinkets for $3,612.51.

I'm starting to look at my house junk a little differently, now.
 
 More Inspiration On This Subject:
 

Lyric Of The Week That Stuck In My Head:
 

"I know Karate

I Know Jujitsu

I Drive Like a Gangsta when I'm coming to see you"

  Song - Karate by Kennedy