KM	
  Reflection	
  –	
  Storytelling

Challenge	
  and	
  Selection	
   	
   In	
  this	
  volatile	
  start-­‐up	
  environment	
  engaging	
  story	
  is	
  critical.	
  While	
  helping	
  early	
  stage	
  companies,	
  I	
  realize	
  more	
   and	
  more	
  the	
  importance	
  of	
  simple	
  and	
  clear	
  messaging.	
  As	
  reminded	
  in	
  the	
  video	
  lecture:	
  “Every	
  great	
  brand	
  has	
   a	
  story	
  and	
  that	
  story	
  connects	
  to	
  the	
  emotions,	
  the	
  values	
  of	
  the	
  people”.	
  How	
  do	
  we	
  connect?	
  What	
  tools	
  young	
   entrepreneur	
  can	
  use	
  to	
  present	
  their	
  new	
  venture	
  to	
  a	
  potential	
  investor?	
  How	
  could	
  he/she	
  engage	
  with	
  their	
   target	
  customer?	
  	
   	
   All	
  these	
  questions	
  bring	
  us	
  back	
  to	
  importance	
  of	
  a	
  compelling	
  story.	
  Therefore,	
  with	
  do	
  doubt,	
  I	
  select	
   Storytelling	
  as	
  my	
  tool	
  of	
  choice.	
   	
   Application	
   	
   Our	
  story	
  today	
  is	
  about	
  recent	
  client	
  who	
  is	
  looking	
  to	
  increase	
  his	
  income.	
  Lets	
  call	
  him	
  Rik.	
  	
   Rik	
  is	
  running	
  early	
  stage	
  online	
  test	
  platform	
  and	
  contemplating	
  how	
  to	
  increase	
  company’s	
  revenue.	
  After	
  few	
   phone	
  calls	
  we	
  decided	
  to	
  look	
  into	
  monthly	
  fee	
  increase	
  for	
  his	
  current	
  customer	
  base.	
  Rik	
  is	
  well	
  aware	
  that	
  he	
   might	
  loose	
  some	
  customers	
  due	
  to	
  the	
  price	
  hike.	
  	
   	
   Main	
  question	
  -­‐	
  how	
  to	
  increase	
  fee	
  while	
  keeping	
  his	
  client	
  base	
  happy?	
  	
   	
   As we learned from our video lectures: “ it's about the connection that we give to people about a piece  of information that we're trying to share.”    Working together we created simple message calling for his customers input. We were searching for  their thoughts and engaging them early in the process. E.g. What level of price increase would be  acceptable? How they have successfully increased prices in their own companies?  We were well aware of potential critical responses and truly curious to connect. To our positive  surprise, Rik’s customers were fairly responsive and even suggested great ideas for improvements.    	
   Insights	
  &	
  Approach

Rik co-created together with the customer- thanks to vulnerable, authentic and relatable core message.

To	
  reflect	
  back,	
  I	
  would	
  consider	
  adding	
  visual	
  story	
  telling	
  tools	
  to	
  enhance	
  the	
  attention	
  and	
  buy-­‐in	
  from	
   the	
  audience	
  (in	
  this	
  case	
  Rik’s	
  customers).	
  That	
  could	
  be	
  a	
  photo	
  collage	
  or	
  simple	
  comics	
  chapter.	
  As	
  our	
   video	
  lecture	
  teaches	
  us:	
  “If you can raise the level of engagement in your business, you will do  wonders to your performance.” Even considering such a taboo as price increase- you can clearly  communicate and even make it compelling and engaging.    Alternatively, I would encourage Rik to run more comprehensive design thinking process with  proactive clients to envision new complementary services. That would further increase Rik’s revenue  targets- what was his initial goal all along.	
   	
   While	
  studying	
  this	
  course-­‐	
  I	
  find	
  human-­‐centered	
  design	
  framework	
  as	
  my	
  go-­‐to	
  when	
  questioning	
  further	
  steps	
   and	
  potential	
  application.	
  The	
  clarity	
  of	
  a	
  storyline	
  and	
  process	
  toolkit	
  will	
  greatly	
  benefit	
  my	
  future	
  projects.


KM Reflection – Storytelling Challenge and Selection In this volatile start-­‐up environment engaging story is critical . While helping early stage companies , I realize more and more the importance of simple and clear messaging . As reminded in the video lecture : “ Every great brand has a story and that story connects to the emotions , the values of the people ” . How do we connect ? What tools young entrepreneur can use to present their new venture to a potential investor ? How could he / she engage with their target customer ? All these questions bring us back to importance of a compelling story . Therefore , with do doubt , I select Storytelling as my tool of choice . Application Our story today is about recent client who is looking to increase his income . Lets call him Rik . Rik is running early stage online test platform and contemplating how to increase company ’s revenue . After few phone calls we decided to look into monthly fee increase for his current customer base . Rik is well aware that he might loose some customers due to the price hike . Main question -­‐ how to increase fee while keeping his client base happy ? As we learned from our video lectures : “ it 's about the connection that we give to people about a piece of information that we 're trying to share . ” Working together we created simple message calling for his customers input . We were searching for their thoughts and engaging them early in the process . E.g. What level of price increase would be acceptable ? How they have successfully increased prices in their own companies ? We were well aware of potential critical responses and truly curious to connect . To our positive surprise , Rik ’s customers were fairly responsive and even suggested great ideas for improvements . Insights & Approach Rik co - created together with the customer- thanks to vulnerable , authentic and relatable core message . To reflect back , I would consider adding visual story telling tools to enhance the attention and buy-­‐in from the audience ( in this case Rik ’s customers ) . That could be a photo collage or simple comics chapter . As our video lecture teaches us : “ If you can raise the level of engagement in your business , you will do wonders to your performance . ” Even considering such a taboo as price increase- you can clearly communicate and even make it compelling and engaging . Alternatively , I would encourage Rik to run more comprehensive design thinking process with proactive clients to envision new complementary services . That would further increase Rik ’s revenue targets- what was his initial goal all along . While studying this course-­‐ I find human-­‐centered design framework as my go-­‐to when questioning further steps and potential application . The clarity of a storyline and process toolkit will greatly benefit my future projects .