Success In Storytelling: HOW to Find the “Sticky Factor” In Your Success Stories

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis: As health communicators we are often presented with facts and figures – it’s the basis of the information we communicate. The number of people affected by a condition, the percentage of lives saved if an  intervention is implemented, the dollars spent on health care for a specific disease—these are facts we use as the foundation of our messages. But they are head and no heart. This information is often dry, off-putting, and not compelling enough to engage people with our messages and draw them into our campaigns. For this reason, many agencies are focused on identifying success stories to demonstrate the value of their programs, highlight achievements, and deliver messages to stakeholders and constituents. How do you make those stories both appealing and accurate? You find the “sticky factor” –  the ingredients that give your messages the flavor and character that keeps the ideas active in the minds of viewers and readers, and compels them to change their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis): In this proposed session, Westat’s experts will explore how health communicators’ role as “storytellers” is critical in creating messages that connect with consumers, potential partners, and program stakeholders. By using storytelling models such as Heath & Heath’s SUCCESs and Denning’s “Springboard Story”, we can create success stories that combine information with entertainment and lead to desired results. The presentation will provide practical information on how to weave these two very popular models into storytelling for health programs. The essential elements of Denning’s “Springboard Story” model will be presented as an overarching framework for creating stories that inspire people to take action.  These include:

• Change Idea:  Being clear about the idea you want to convey. 
• Single Protagonist:  Telling the story from one person's POV. 
• Truth:  Being specific about when and where things happened.
• Positivity:  An ending that's positive for the protagonist andaudience.
• Minimum Detail:  Just enough for the audience to imagine themselves in the story. 

The key elements of the SUCCESS model will be used to discuss additional strategies for creating stories that stick. These elements include:

• Simplicity:  Paring the story down to the essentials.
• Unexpectedness:  Make the audience wonder about elements of your story, so they’ll want to hear/learn more.
• Concreteness:  Appeal to the senses and anchor what you have to say with real world examples.
• Credibility:  Make sure your story is believable and trustworthy.
• Emotions:  Tap into the human aspect of your message.
• Stories:  The "right story", told in the right way, can inspire action.

Conclusions: Using real-word examples, Westat will highlight how we’ve used these models to create compelling storytelling projects for a number of clients and health programs, including CDC’s The Guide for Community Preventive Services, DC Cancer Consortium, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and many others.

Implications for research and/or practice: The presentation will highlight Westat's process for creating compelling success stories and provide tips that participants can take back to their programs to create their own storytelling and/or success stories project.