Problem Solving And Storytelling
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes Senior
The best brands tell stories that solve peoples’ problems. Problem solving is the main reason why people ask questions. They have a problem and need help in solving it.
The reason why search engines exist is to answer people’s problems. The better the answer the better the search engine. Similarly if a brand can solve a person’s problem with their story, that story will make a difference to its audience.
Define A Problem
The first step in problem solving is to define a problem. The problem needs to be a problem your audience will relate to. The simpler the problem the better the brand story it will make. Simple problems lead to simple stories, which are much easier for an audience to relate to. When defining a complex problem for a brand story, think about how to break it down into smaller parts for easier audience consumption.
I give a lot of speeches and I notice when the problem is well defined the audience react better to hearing the solution.
Solve The Problem
Once you have identified a problem you need to solve it. The first solution may not be the one you want to share in your brand story. Often over time the solution evolves and get better. Sometimes this journey of an evolving solution provides drama for your brand story.
Show How You Did It
When you have refined your solution it is time to share the story about how you solved your problem. As mentioned earlier the journey of discovery provides the “bones” of the story. When you show your audience how you identified and solved the problem, and provide them with your solution you engage them in the process.
Problem Solving Delivers Results
“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
At the heart of a story based on solving an actual real life problem is a takeaway that will help your audience. Showing your audience how you came up with and developed a solution to a common problem gives your audience an experience that they will value.