One of our favorite Christmas movies to watch is Home Alone.
The 1990 John Hughes movie that is directed by Chris Columbus and starring Macaulay Culkin is a regular watch for us early in the season.
You know the movie, so I don’t need to explain it. At 33 years old, it’s become a timeless classic (at least in our house).
Funny thing is that it’s completely implausible now.
Everything is implausible. The alarm clock system failing due to a power failure. The dash through the airport and into the gated area and boarding the plane without any security. The inability to contact your child (everyone has a mobile phone, right)?
For my generation, it still works because we remember that time and it’s exactly how it was. Not only was it plausible, the story made it seem believable.
Home Alone stands the test of time for me. It might not for an audience that never experienced that time period.
Or would it?
While the times and technology change at what seems to be the speed of light, a few things don’t. One of those things is the art of storytelling.
We can debate whether Home Alone is a classic; however clearly it’s been considered a success based on its longevity and following. The key was the ability for Hughes and Columbus to craft a story that creates curiosity, engages the audience to keep watching, builds suspense, and carries momentum through the climax to the end.
While technology has made the premise obsolete by today’s standards, storytelling has kept it alive.
Storytelling is critical in your business, too.
The ability to engage your audience, to compel them to stay engaged, to build to a climax, and to lead them to seek out solutions is crucial to building your brand and business success.
What’s your story? Are you adept at telling it? Are you engaging people who need to hear it and are they staying to hear the big finish?
If you’re like me, you grew up being read stories as a child and carrying it over to reading to your children. In your business, the art and science of telling your story for the benefit and value of others is vital to your success and the improvement of the condition of people.
As we begin a new calendar year, maybe it’s a good time to refresh that story to build on your current and future audience. The longevity and legacy of your “movie” may depend on it.
Keep chasing unleashed.
Quote of the Week:
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.”
~ Harry S. Truman
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