Darrin Wylie is the wearer of many creative hats.
His background as a military broadcaster, communications professional at USAA, TEDx San Antonio director and producer has given him the ability to become an expert in the art of storytelling.
Listen as he shares his fascinating story with Sonny. You’ll hear:
- The lunch that changed his life
- Why learning to tell your story can increase your success
- The 5 Secrets of Telling a Good Story
- The inspiration that can only from fatherhood
- How he helps veterans to tell their story
- More!
Links mentioned:
Darrin’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrinwylie/
USAA: https://USAA.com
TEDx San Antonio: https://TEDxSanAntonio.com
About Darrin
Darrin Wylie is a marketing and sales leader for a Fortune 100 company, (USAA), using digital strategies to drive user engagement and create business. He also manages media and video production for TEDxSanAntonio. Darrin served in the US Air Force as a broadcaster around the world on Armed Forces Radio and holds an MBA from UTSA’s Executive program. Darrin also attended San Antonio College.
Darrin’s Secrets to Telling Great Story
Think about what matters to the audience.
People are thinking two things.
1. Do I care?
2. What’s in it for me?
I know it sounds a bit self-centered but I have found it to be true. It’s not the only secret but it’s what I ask myself every time I create something. People want to relate to others and a good story helps them do that. If you don’t start with the audience in mind then your message will fall flat.
Gary Vee declared, “Attention is the new currency.” I say stories are the direct pathway to attention. These two questions are a great way to start your story. There are several more steps you must get right.
Whether it is internal company information, the daily news feed or your social feed. The story must be relevant and interesting for the viewer to capture their attention.
If you can get people to read, view or listen to your story then they are much more likely to remember you and your message. If you are good then stories can drive them to action.
Over the past few years I have stepped up my game by sharing these concepts. I’ve focused my message to veterans who are transitioning. My hope is that one veteran will sharpen their storytelling skills and win that next job.
Here are some of my favorite storytelling resources.
Donald Miller explains the Hero’s Journey perfectly in his book. He didn’t invent it but he does make it easy to understand. He also explains why most people overcomplicate things. Clear the clutter with Donald’s book. https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329 (This is not an affiliate link. It is a great book to learn about storytelling.)
Need to watch a video to get the point? I had the privilege to meet Sarah Jane Murray a few years ago at TEDxSanAntonio. She does a great job explaining why we are Hard Wired for Story http://tedxsanantonio.com/2014-speakers/sarah-jane-murray/
Need an article to share on Linkedin? Look no further than HBR’s: How to Tell a Great Story https://hbr.org/2014/07/how-to-tell-a-great-story
Need proof that CMO’s agree? Marketers know about this. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2018/07/14/3-reasons-why-storytelling-should-be-a-priority-for-marketers/#343cf62b6758
Finally, need to sharpen your skills? Doug is a friend and does a great job breaking down the process.https://www.storytelling-in-business.com/
That’s just a few of the resources. All of these professionals will tell you they did not invite this process. The elements to build a good story have been around for a long time. In some ways its like math. There is a formula. You must make sure you have the right elements and use them correctly.
My name is Darrin Wylie and I encourage you to jump into storytelling. It will help you find a job, meet more people and find your success.
