Science of Storytelling webinar recap

Hi!

Last Thursday, we held our final T2B event for 2024.

Health tech comms pro and ex-Googler Erin Schmidt joined us for The Science of Storytelling, a super-insightful deep dive into why some stories fly, and why some just flop.

As well as reminding us about the importance of using vivid language, emotional resonance, and identifiable characters to make stories “stick,” Erin unpacked six key economic behavioral principles to help us frame our JPM messaging – regardless of who your stakeholders may be.

Here’s a recap of what those principles were:

Present bias

This is the tendency to prioritize immediate rewards over future gains (even if the future benefits are more valuable).

We can use present bias to our advantage by highlighting short-term milestones and time-driven language, which can make our stories and messages more immediately impactful.

Anchoring effect

This happens when people rely heavily on the first piece of information they hear (or read). 

Front-load your comms with bold, quantifiable claims and compelling data to make sure that’s what your audience takes away from your piece.

Loss aversion

People tend to prioritize avoiding losses over making the equivalent gains (losing $100 feels more painful than gaining $100 feels rewarding!). 

Frame outcomes in terms of the potential losses if action isn’t taken: for example, instead of “This therapy may improve patient outcomes,” use “Without this therapy, patients could face higher rates of disease progression.”

Social proof

We all look to other folks' actions, endorsements, or experiences to guide our own decisions.

Highlight peer endorsements or expert recommendations, use testimonials and success stories, and emphasize adoption trends in your comms to create a compelling and persuasive message.

Framing effect

This occurs when how information is presented influences decision-making; the same data can lead to different conclusions depending on whether it’s framed positively or negatively.

For example, “Patients in the trial reported a 75% reduction in symptoms” is much more powerful than “25% of patients in the trial reported no significant increase in their symptoms.”

Scarcity

We all place higher value on opportunities or items that are rare, unique, or limited.

Highlight exclusivity, use time-limited language, and showcase proprietary or first-of-its-kind features to demonstrate how your offering stands out.

And there you have it

Six economic behavioral principles we can all use to make our messaging more compelling – for any target audience.

Thanks so much to Erin for taking the time to help us de-mystify the science of storytelling – I really loved this webinar, and the attendees echoed that feedback, too! If you missed it, catch the replay in T2B Slack.

Lynnea

P.S. This was our last event of 2024, but you can secure your spot for our first programs of 2025! RSVP to our in-person JPM events in San Francisco: Zen Before JPM Yoga Event (Sunday, January 12th, 3-5 p.m. PT | Divine Yoga Studio, 406 Brannan St.) and our JPM T2B meetup (Monday, January 13th, 4:30-7 p.m. PT | FleishmanHillard, 720 California St.). More virtual programs TBA soon!

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