Date: Thursday 12 June 2014
Time: 09:30–17:00 h
Location: Park Plaza Hotel, Utrecht
Cost: €160 for members; €180 for non-members. Costs include buffet lunch, coffee/tea, and drinks afterwards in the lobby.
Registration:
[Registration closed]
Attendance list (visible to members only)
PE points: If you would like to receive PE points for this workshop, please bring your Bureau Btv registration number to the workshop. If enough people indicate they wish to be eligible for PE points, we will apply for them.
If you have any further questions, please contact Maartje Gorte
Storytelling for Business
Create your business story and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The key to generating business is to tell a story that your clients want to buy into. A story that shows them exactly who you are, that you understand what they need, and that you can fill that need. A story like that requires working with the knowledge you have and organising it so it engages your audience more quickly and effectively. This day – see video - is about gaining insights that will help you tell the right story about your services in order to generate more business.
As such, the day will be chock-full of games and interactive exercises to help you develop your storytelling skills, understand your clients better, and tell potential clients a powerful story about your value and the value of your service. Once you know your story, doing the things on your marketing strategy to-do list becomes easier, more fun, and more effective.
The message of the day – everyone is a storyteller – means two things for us as business professionals:
- we already have everything we need to tell a great story
- and our audience wants us to make them part of a great story of their own
This day is all about realising these key points and learning how to benefit from them.
Your facilitator
Simon Hodges of Words That Change has been working in storytelling for the last 5 years, carrying out trainings in corporate, non-profit, and educational spheres. Combining his knowledge of corporate communications with the traditional craft of storytelling, he is able to provide a unique curriculum that improves communication in both personal and business terms.
His techniques help freelancers stand out in a crowded marketplace by encouraging them to become ultra-personal, as experienced by nearly 700 previous workshop participants. Simon is currently a storytelling trainer for TEDxAmsterdam and MediaTrust UK, and he works with everyone ranging from giant corporationss to aspiring start-ups.
By the end of the workshop, you will be able to answer such questions as:
- What are the ingredients of a great story and how can I use them?
- What makes me... me? And what makes my way of working... mine and mine alone?
- What are the unique aspects of my client base, and how can I speak to that?
- How can I build a powerful story that connects me with my clients?
The training consists of conversations and open discussions, supported by visualisation and individual contemplation. At the end of the day, you will leave with a story that you can immediately apply to your communications and marketing pitches, together with insights that will improve the way you do business. You will also pick up essential storytelling skills that will help you do great work for your clients. Because the day involves questions about what we find important in life, many participants find this a deeply important and transformational workshop that impacts not only their business life, but all other aspects of life as well.
Recent feedback
"One of the best developments I have done in years” ~ Max Kloosterman, change manager, Dream Team Dynamics
“Simon is a wonderful storyteller and entertainer. In a short time, he helps you to connect with your own inner stories. And that is simply a lovely experience!” ~ Pauline Mudde, coach and entrepreneur
“Thank you Simon for your infectious inspiration, for waking the words that stir in my soul” ~ Roger Bymolt, development professional at Royal Institute for the Tropics
“Simon has a very rare listening skill that makes the encounter fully your own. This in my opinion, is the most powerful kind.” ~ Senior education professional