Years ago, I read an article by Shankar Vedantam in The Washington Post about genocide and famine.
Rather than leading with data, Vedantam shared a story about an oil tanker that had caught fire off the coast of Hawaii. Luckily, a cruise ship happened to be going by and rescued the 11 individuals on board.
Afterward, the captain held a press conference where all he could talk about was his dog, Hokget, being left behind.
The press conference went viral and donations poured in, prompting the U.S. Navy to redirect its Pacific Fleet to search for the tanker.
Against all odds, the Coast Guard located the vessel, and launched a quarter-million-dollar rescue mission to save Hokget.
Are you thinking, ‘Well, good for Hokget, but what does that have to do with me?‘
My question is… Why did people mobilize to save one dog when thousands lack basic necessities?
This is due to what I call “The Empathy Telescope.“
We can empathize with one person (or even one dog), but we struggle to put ourselves in the shoes of many.
So, your idea could be ground-breaking, your product could be revolutionary, your organization could be the best, but facts fall flat.
If you want people to care about what you care about, tell a real-life example of ONE individual who has been impacted by your issue.
People will be much more likely to relate to, remember, and act on what you say when they can emotionally engage with your content.
And isn’t that what we all want? To communicate in a way that connects and inspires action?
ACTION
What is an issue, idea or cause you care about??
Instead of sharing data, share a true “Dog on a Tanker” story of ONE person who’s being affected by your data – or who has benefitted from your business – and then segue into how you could solve similar problems for them.
Then download (and share!) my 3P framework for crafting a 60-second story.
