Winning Stories Rely On Details: Make Them See It, So They Trust It

Winning Stories Rely On Details: Make Them See It, So They Trust It

Most business owners don’t have a storytelling problem. They have a detail problem. “I used to be shy” is information, but “I hid under a pile of coats at family gatherings so nobody would talk to me” is a scene. 

And scenes are what make people listen, trust, and remember you. In this episode of The Story Lab, I break down why details create instant credibility, how to turn summaries into scenes, and a simple 3-question exercise you can use to upgrade any story you tell in your content.

What You’ll Learn

• Why details create trust faster than “expert” statements
• The difference between a summary and a scene (and why most content stays forgettable)
• The 3 types of details that make stories hit:
  • Sensory details (what you saw, smelled, heard, felt)
  • Specific details (what actually happened, not the vague version)
  • Emotional truth (the unpolished thought in the moment)
• Build A Scene in 60 Seconds: A simple exercise to turn any business moment into a story people feel

If your stories aren’t landing, don’t change your whole brand. Change your details.

Try the scene exercise and tell one story as a scene this week.

Want help turning your experiences into stories that connect and convert? You know where I will be!

Chapters

• 0:00 Why Details Beat Summaries
• 0:46 Setting The Scene: Under The Coats
• 3:20 From Hiding To Persona In Business
• 5:21 Three Kinds Of Details That Build Trust
• 6:51 Practical Prompts To Craft Scenes

Transcript

Jonathan : 0:00

Most business owners don't have a content problem when it comes to storytelling. What they have is a detail problem. Because I used to be shy is information. But I hid under a pile of coats at family gatherings just so nobody would talk to me. That's a scene. And scenes are what make people listen, trust, and remember you. And after all, we're here to make sure you that your story is the one they remember. Welcome back to another episode of the Story Lab. Today we're diving into what makes a story actually click. And that's the details. So I'm going to walk you through a real story in my life. You know the one where I hide under the coats just because I'm shy? Well, I'm going to talk to you about how the details in this story actually make it hit. Because we're not trying to be dramatic, we're trying to be understood. We're trying to grab people's attention and get them to lean in. So pay attention to the details I'm giving here. Family gathering. And everybody's doing their thing. Some are laughing, some are talking in the corner, some of the kids are running downstairs. And the adults are asking the questions that they always ask kids. It's like three questions that they can only ask. Yeah, I'm doing well. And there I am, scanning the room like it's a battlefield. I'm looking for the safest place that I can disappear to. I don't care if I'm rude. All I care about is not being asked the questions. Not being asked to talk. And I know from my past that the safest place to hide is underneath the coats. Probably in one of my cousin's bedrooms, wherever the coats were stashed that night. Slowly slide away down the hallway. And I look. And I look in the first room to the left. Not there. But then I see my aunt and uncle coming out of the room right past that. And I know that's where my sanctuary is gonna be. That's where my pile of coats that's gonna keep me safe is located. So I slide in and I slide under the coats, hoping nobody saw me. And this isn't like a hide-and-seek moment. This is like I hope I become invisible. And under the winter coats, that smell of fabric, grandma's perfume, and Aunt Lily's laundry detergent that she used back in 1980, I feel myself calming down a little bit. Now, my cheeks are hot. I'm starting to sweat a little bit. I'm trying not to breathe too heavily. But the crazy thing is, I feel safe under the coats. Thinking, please, please don't notice me. Even if you're out there laughing and talking and living life, just don't notice me. Now that's a scene. That is a scene rich in details, and it's not just I was shy. I was giving you details so you could see it, so you could feel what it might be like. That's how you tell a story. That's how you grab people's attention and pull them into what you're sharing. Business owners often give a summary. So I'm gonna go a little bit a little bit further here, just so you can see what I'm saying. So that hiding didn't disappear when I grew up. I just got smarter. In my teens, I found comfort behind the lens of a camera. Because when you're behind the camera, nobody expects you to perform because you're the one that's capturing the performance. It was kind of the perfect system. I'd capture pictures, but I didn't have to step into life. And then adulthood came in and said, cute strategy, buddy, but that's not gonna work for you. Because in entrepreneurship, especially coaching, I have to be seen. Networking events, overwhelming. Couldn't hide under the coats there. And it's not because I didn't have value, but it's because the moment I walked into the room, I could feel everybody staring through me. Being on camera, paralyzing. So I did what a lot of smart people did, at least nervous ones. I created a persona. I became the antisocial guy. Not because it was true, although it was kind of true, but it was safer than to be seen and to be rejected. That persona was my adult code pile. It was my protection. Now, here's a storytelling lesson. Details create trust because they prove you were there. When I was telling my story, did you doubt that it was my story? Did you doubt that I knew what it was like? Or did you doubt the pit in my stomach? Or the feelings I had when I was a kid hiding under the coats? I hope you didn't. Because when a story is told with detail, it allows you to understand it, to experience it, to go on the ride with somebody. So here are three kinds of details that you want to make sure you're sprinkling into every story. Sensory details. What did you see, smell, feel, sound? Well, not sound, hear. Specific details, like what did you do in the actual moment, like when you were crawling underneath those coats? You want to include those sensory details, those specific details, and then the emotional details. What was the real thought? The unpolished thought, the thing that you were feeling that brought it all together. For me, please don't notice me. Don't look over here. Don't pay attention to this guy. Because that unpolished truth, that emotional connection, that's where your story connects with your audience's story. Now here's your takeaway. If your stories aren't landing, it may not be your hook. You might need to set a better scene. So I want you to pick a business moment that you usually summarize, usually consolidate. And I want you to answer three really important questions. Where were you exactly? What's one sensory detail? And what was the exact thought in your head in that moment? Those three things, they make up your scene. That's the story you tell about that moment. Instead of just summarizing it, you tell that story. Because that's the story that's going to help you connect. Now, go put those together. And remember, when you're telling a story, think about things like the room. What was the lighting? What was the temperature? What was the smell? What noise did you hear? Was there a ticking of a clock? Or the hum of the heat? What did your body feel like? Sweaty palms, tight chest, shaky voice, dry mouth? What about the objects that surrounded you? Pen in your hand, the camera lens, the coat sleeve, the menacing go live button. And then what was the thought in your head? The meanest thing that your brain brain said, or the hope that you had, or the fear that you were hiding. Those details those details make it magical. Just don't forget 'em.

SPEAKER_01: 8:31

Only the one they remember the spark in the night, the voice in the crowd, so you wanna sing the song to spend us.