Category Archives: Storytelling

The Cheese Is Alive

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Matthew

My French friend told me a story about cheese. After skiing with some friends in the Alps, they discovered a small chalet in Switzerland. Warming themselves up from the cold, they sat down at a quaint table. His face lit … Continue reading →

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Judging a Book by Its Cover

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Matthew

I chuckled when this picture was sent to me. The depiction seems obvious and shocking from the perspective of a first grader. I really laughed though when I read the story that went along with it… A first grade girl … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Marketing, Storytelling | 2 Comments

The Anti-Example

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Matthew

I remember thinking, “If I say this, it will be really obnoxious.” And then saying it. This adolescent stage lasted until I turned 16. I remember distinctly when it ended because at the same time my brother turned 12, entering … Continue reading →

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Paying the Cost Today

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Matthew

If I say this, then she is just going to say this. If I don’t say it though… We all have this type of internal conversation — simulating future possible events and speculating on their outcome. It’s one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Storytelling, Thoughts | 1 Comment

Stories Sell

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Matthew

I critiqued Starbucks earlier in their approach to launching Via, their instant coffee. I don’t know how well it’s done, but if signs like this are any indication – people still think they are samples: Consider their problem: they have … Continue reading →

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Guest Blog: Mawy had a Yittle Yam

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Matthew

[In response to my post on Tea Bog Beet Knee, Matthew Ritzman, a friend of mine, wrote a response that I thought worthy of more attention. Matthew and I met while he was President of the local Toastmasters club that … Continue reading →

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Lord Of The Rings – A Story from Christmas

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Matthew

Over the Christmas holiday, a friend and I were walking to lunch after a fresh snow had fallen. While engrossed in conversation, I walked into a pile of some snow and slipped. Mostly embarrassed, I got up and felt like … Continue reading →

Posted in Storytelling | 4 Comments

The Story Of Our Lives

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Matthew

This last week, my wife and I were taking a bus ride between two cities and the bus had a movie going. I recognized the movie as Inkheart, but couldn’t hear any of the sound as the earphone jack was … Continue reading →

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Experiences versus Possessions: Stories Matter

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Matthew

We communicate with stories because they are richer experiences and objects or things.  I found this study interesting because it actually helps demonstrate the difference in regard to the impact of buying an experience versus buying an object.  When things … Continue reading →

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The Cost of a Story

Posted on September 26, 2009 by Matthew

Since stories are inherently valuable for so many purposes, I’ve come to start looking at bad experiences as simply stories that come with a cost.  Some stories are extremely expensive – having a complication in surgery, being stuck in the … Continue reading →

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