With more commercial television being launched than ever before, how do you break from the pack and meaningfully connect with advertisers this planning season? Storytelling.

Lee Lazarus & Janine Kurnoff – The Presentation Company

After two years of virtual presentations, major TV entertainment companies will be returning to NYC this Upfront season with in-person events. And while television audiences grew overall as the nation retreated to their homes during the pandemic, the media landscape has changed dramatically. Not only is there more content than ever (559 original scripted series in 2021 according to FX Research), the number of ad-supported options for marketers continues to proliferate. It's left brand marketers and their agencies scratching their heads trying to make sense of it all while TV brands big and small battle it out for a share of the $20 billion in advertising commitments projected to be spent during the 2022/23 season. With so much riding on the line for many media companies, this may be the most important ad sales presentation they've had to give… ever.

Before you panic, realize that the same fundamentals of great storytelling in film and television can also be applied to business presentations. Following a few simple rules can transform your Upfront Keynote slides and clip reels into a memorable AND impactful story that connects with advertisers to help break through the noise and put your TV offerings on the buyer’s plans.

TIP #1: It's Not About You

As much as you want to razzle-dazzle potential buyers with slick sizzle reels and celebrity walk-ons, at the end of the day, often what's keeping marketers up at night has nothing to do with your latest hit show. Brands in every industry are emerging from two years of retail chaos, frozen marketing budgets, supply-chain issues, and dramatic shifts in consumer behavior (not to mention media consumption). Finding and connecting with that consumer is their daily challenge, and as much as it's hard to hear… your programming is only as good as its ability to deliver that consumer to them through ad spots, integrations, and increasingly branded content. So when delivering your presentation, remember to walk in your Upfront audience's shoes and put their needs at the center of your narrative.

TIP #2: Conflict is a Good Thing

Think of business presentations you've had to sit through that were mind-numbing. Chances are they lacked narrative tension. All great stories have conflict. Conflict is a major differentiator between super-exciting and utterly forgettable. Conflict gives your audience a reason to care – a reason to lean in and listen. Without it, not only is it boring, it's a giant, pointless waste of time. It's why every year marketers trudge from one Upfront to another wondering: Why are we here? What problem are we trying to solve?

Before you get anxious, know that conflict in business storytelling is not only interesting, it's reassuring. Your audience can see that you understand a meaningful problem (remember Tip #1). Better yet, they can see that your facts, data, and ideas show that you understand their problem (and are a path to resolving it). Revealing conflict in your story lets you be a hero twice – first when you identify a problem, and then again when you propose a way to fix it. It puts them in a mentally comfortable place that makes them receptive to everything else you want to say next.

TIP #3: Have a BIG Idea

Think of the companies you admire the most… chances are you can describe them in a few words. How would you describe yours? Sometimes in our efforts to maintain and grow a business, we forget the core focus of our own story—the WHAT in the storyline that helps buyers understand WHY and HOW they should spend money with you. The BIG Idea is the one thing you want your Upfront audience to remember. But in a world where we want to convey everything, communicating just one thing is sometimes easier said than done, right?

The key to developing your singular BIG Idea is to… again… walk in your buyer's shoes. Understanding what makes your advertisers tick, their challenges, and what they're possibly looking for from a TV platform like yours holds the secret to finding this relevance and connection. Maybe you're all about innovative viewer engagement. Or you're a no-brainer when it comes to programmatic and efficiency. Or you have the broadest audience, a super niche cutting-edge audience, or the lowest prices (remember all those pandemic frozen marketing budgets out there). Discovering and communicating your WHAT becomes the mental bridge your Upfront audiences need to help them navigate through the paradox of choice and choose you.

TIP #4: Tame the Data Dump

Ah… the research we love to show at an Upfront. We often rely upon slide after slide of data, numbers, statistics, and analytics to make our case. It's the proof we are eager to convey to skeptical buyers. And unfortunately, this is also the part of the presentation where everyone in the audience starts to zone out. But it doesn't have to be this way if we wrap the data in a story that triggers both right-and-left brain thinking.

Why is that important? If you wrap your data in a story, you'll have a much better chance at making your audience feel something. Science has shown that when we hear and see a story visually, we are constantly ping-ponging back and forth between our left and right brain hemispheres. The right side of our brain is more creative and imaginative; the left side processes logic and maps to learned patterns. Both sides influence our choices, but emotion – powered by effective story-driven visuals and a compelling narrative – ultimately drives our decisions.

So break out of the data-slide-o-mania and combine your facts and data with a compelling story to awaken both the left and right brain of your audience. This will ensure your ideas are going to stick and be memorable.

TIP #5: Your Resolution must be Earned

Salespeople love a great resolution… It's all the features and benefits that solve a customer's problem. But, in our eagerness to solve that problem quickly, the danger is moving too fast and starting with the resolution at the beginning of the story. In fact, starting with resolution is the opposite of good business storytelling. 

Can you imagine if The Wizard of Oz started with "there's no place like home?" We lose all the setting, characters, and conflict that got us engaged with the story. We care because we went on a journey with Dorothy. The resolution was earned.

In business communication, we are so quick to talk about ourselves (typically our solutions/product/company) that we skip the whole part about building context. We forget to tell anyone why it matters. You must always build context for your audience – including some healthy tension – so they have a reason to care. Otherwise, like many an Upfront that is all sizzle and no steak, your audience will not be motivated to hear the details of your resolution (what you're ultimately selling).

Stories create purpose and drive action 

Today, it's difficult to find a successful brand that doesn't have a good story behind it. Stories provide meaning, create context, and communicate a sense of purpose. So as we gear up for the new post-pandemic economy, use storytelling as your secret weapon at the Upfronts to help connect and build trust with marketers looking for real solutions on how to use the power of television to reach and engage with today's consumers.

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About: Want more advice on how to use storytelling to help you cut through the noise? Check out our best-selling book Everyday Business Storytelling for practical tips and real-world examples designed to help anyone learn the art of crafting persuasive communications.