"The Perfect Story" by Karen Eber > Marketing Book Podcast

The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire by Karen Eber

About the Book

Learn how to take any story and make it perfect—from storytelling expert Karen Eber, whose popular TED Talk on the subject continues to be a source of inspiration for millions.

What makes a story perfect? How do you tell the perfect story for any occasion?

We live in a story world. Stories are a memorable and engaging way to differentiate yourself, build connection and trust, create new thinking, bring meaning to data, and even influence decision-making. But how do you turn a good story into a great story that informs, influences, and inspires?

In The Perfect Story, Karen Eber—leadership consultant, professional keynote storyteller, and TED speaker—shares the science of storytelling to teach you to:

Leverage the Five Factory Settings of the Brain to hack the art of storytelling
Build a toolkit of endless story ideas
Define the audience for your story
Apply a memorable story structure
Engage senses and emotions
Tell stories with data
Avoid common storytelling mistakes
Use your body to tell dynamic stories
Ensure your story doesn’t manipulate
Navigate and embrace the vulnerability of storytelling

Without relying on complicated models or one-size-fits-all prescriptions, this book makes storytelling accessible with practical and impactful steps for anyone to tell the perfect story for any occasion.

Through interview vignettes, The Perfect Story also shares approaches from different storytellers, including the Sundance Institute cofounder, an executive producer of The Moth, the former creative director at Pixar, the TED Radio Hour podcast host, and many more.

Whether you are leading a team, giving a presentation, hosting a podcast, selling a product or service, interviewing for a job, or giving a toast at a wedding, The Perfect Story will help you take your stories and make them perfect.

About the Author

Karen Eber is a bestselling author, international consultant, and keynote speaker. Her TED Talk: ‘How Your Brain Responds To Stories – And Why They’re Crucial For Leaders,’ continues to be a source of inspiration for millions.

Karen was previously a Head of Culture, Chief Learning Officer, and Head of Leadership Development at General Electric and Deloitte.

As the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group, Karen helps companies build leaders, teams, and culture one story at a time, working with Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Microsoft, Kraft Heinz, Facebook, and the Big 4 Consulting Companies.

She guest lectures at universities including the London School of Business, Stanford, and MIT, and is a frequent contributor to publications like Fast Company, Business Insider, TED, Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur.

And, interesting fact – she has one brown eye and one green eye!

Listen to the Interview…

Links…

The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire by Karen Eber (Amazon)
Karen Eber (LinkedIn)
Karen Eber (website)
The Growth Leader: Strategies to Drive the Top and Bottom Lines by Scott K. Edinger (Marketing Book Podcast interview)
Rudy Ruettiger
Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer
The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work by Ludmila N. Praslova PhD

Other Storytelling Books Featured on The Marketing Book Podcast…

Sell with a Story: How to Capture Attention, Build Trust, and Close the Sale by Paul Smith
The 10 Stories Great Leaders Tell by Paul Smith
Creating Signature Stories: Strategic Messaging that Energizes, Persuades and Inspires by David Aaker
The StorySelling Method: Master the Art of Storytelling to Build Trust, Stand Out, and Boost Sales by Philipp Humm
The Sale Is In The Tale by John Livesay
Everyday Business Storytelling: Create, Simplify, and Adapt A Visual Narrative for Any Audience by Janine Kurnoff and Lee Lazarus
Brand Bewitchery: How to Wield the Story Cycle System to Craft Spellbinding Stories for Your Brand by Park Howell
Seven Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell by Mike Adams
The Storytelling Edge: How to Transform Your Business, Stop Screaming into the Void, and Make People Love You by Joe Lazauskas and Shane Snow
Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business by Kindra Hall
Get Your Startup Story Straight: The Definitive Storytelling Framework for Innovators and Entrepreneurs by David Riemer

Karen Eber TED Talk: ‘How your brain responds to stories — and why they’re crucial for leaders’

P.S. – If you have rated and reviewed the podcast on Apple Podcasts, please let me return the favor and mail you some Marketing Book Podcast bookmarks and laptop stickers. Just click here to provide your postal address (I’ll send it anywhere in the world)! ~Douglas Burdett, host of The Marketing Book Podcast.