Since the dawn of the Jedi, when a golden god captivated his audiences with tales of good versus
evil, storytellers have continued to be a vital part of our world. They remind us of who we are,
binding us through history, a sense of destiny and above all, meaning.

In visual storytelling, the narrator creates the arc of the plot through action, tone, and language
that best conveys the emotion of the tale. She selects her setting and props with care, whether
campfire, café or stage, pulling the audience into the very feel of the adventure. Her intent is to
create connection.

Do you love creating videos on your smartphone? Are you drawn to the visual appeal of
social sites like YouTube, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest? Does your business lend itself to
storytelling in pictures? Do you have a unique idea for presenting your story but it looks more
like a movie than a blog post?

To put your small business story online in video form is as easy as creating a short video with
your smartphone and posting it on your YouTube channel. Then again, maybe you prefer the
idea of hiring experts to do the filming and production work for you. Really explore your options based on the type of story you want to tell. Do you want to create a one-time video to post on your website’s About Page? Or do you want a series of videos telling your story through different topics? Regardless of your choice, a video post can be shared to your other social media sites, thereby reducing some of the time involved in weekly written social marketing.

As with any project, it’s a good idea to sketch out a To Do list:

• Plot – what is the story you want to tell?
• Setting – where do you want to film it?
• Participants – are your employees involved or will you be the only star?
• Audience – who are you trying to reach?
• Marketing – where and how often will you post the video?
• Legal – do you need signed waivers from participants? Permission to film in certain
locations? Worker’s comp to cover the person who falls off the unicycle you inserted into
the story at the last moment? All of the cover-your-butt stuff.
• Budget – how much can you allocate to this project?

In a worthwhile endeavor, there is work. But when you take some time to pay attention to the
details, you’ll be surprised at how the creativity shines. In visual storytelling it’s important to get it right the first time, to capture your audience and take them on a trip they’ll want to experience again and again, because the way to the human heart is through the imagination.

Michael Wolpert, founder, Social Jumpstart

Michael Wolpert – Founder, Social Jumpstart