In this module you will learn how to share your story with the world. You will learn how to communicate your ideas with others in person and online and you will explore what platforms are the most appropriate for you and your business.

You will practice sharing your ideas in creative ways that resonate with others and you will methodically test what messages land the best. You will use different methods of communication, trying out the written word, public speaking, audio, video, blogging, forums, networking and more. All to figure what works best for your business venture.

As well as testing out what you say, you will explore the different avenues in which you can say it. You will try out different platforms and you will test and learn which forums are best for you to reach people. Like your other modules you will focus on experimenting there and then, you will try different techniques, review them and then learn and iterate. You will learn about all the different types of social media platform and all the different forums, online and offline that allow you to share your story. You will give many of them a go.

The aim of the module is for you to understand how best to share your story and which platform works well for you. You will actively create content and share it with the world, with a view to figure out what is your best route to sharing your story with people.

A diverse range of simulation and experiential learning strategies will be used on this module, and these will include:
- Workshops focussing on different storytelling methods
- Practical Skills Workshops on social media platform development
- Storytelling exploration surgeries
- Assignment workshops
- Keynote Speakers
- Role Modelling.

This module will include some introductory seminars and key content sessions providing pillars to the learning. These will be accompanied by interactive workshops, facilitated activities and guest lectures. The module involves 30 hours of tutor led sessions and 170 hours of independent study, to research background information related to the delivery of the core material, to develop, trial, refine, release and evaluate the storytelling approaches, to work on the assessments and to engage in informal teamwork related to this module.

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of knowledge at the forefront of storytelling in a business context, exploring different approaches and different mediums. Knowledge and Understanding, Learning, Enquiry

2. Demonstrate the application of different storytelling approaches to different stakeholders (specialist and non-specialist) and identify the best method to communicate the story of a given product/service to prospective consumers. Application, Problem Solvin, Communication

3. Critically reflect on the different approaches for storytelling experienced during this module and their suitability for specific products and markets. Reflection

Blackboard VLE and Microsoft Teams access.
Dedicated Entrepreneurial Hub space for cohort.
Workshop materials.
Access to social media platforms.
Creative Storytelling production equipment (i.e., video recorders, recording studio, etc.)
Access to reference material (textbooks, journal articles, podcasts, TED talks, websites and videos).

Choy, E.K. (2017) Let the story do the work: the art of storytelling for business success. 1st edition. New York, NY: Amacom.

Dolan, G. (2017) Stories for work: the essential guide to business storytelling. 1st ed., Stories for Work. 1st ed. Milton, Qld: Wiley.

Knaflic, C.N. (2015) Storytelling with data: a data visualization guide for business professionals. 1st edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.

Lazauskas, J. and Snow, S. (2018) The storytelling edge: how to transform your business, stop screaming into the void, and make people love you. 1st edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.

Mathews, R. and Wacker, W. (2008) What’s your story?: storytelling to move markets, audiences, people, and brands. 1st edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J: FT Press.

McErlean, K. (2018) Interactive narratives and transmedia storytelling: creating immersive stories across new media platforms. 1st edition. New York: Routledge.

Nossel, M. (2018) Powered by Storytelling: Excavate, Craft, and Present Stories to Transform Business Communication. McGraw-Hill.

Phillips, A. (2012) A creator’s guide to transmedia storytelling: how to captivate and engage audiences across multiple platforms. 1st edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Scott, D.M. (2016) The new rules of sales and service: how to use agile selling, real-time customer engagement, big data, content, and storytelling to grow your business. Revised and expanded. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Walter, E. and Gioglio, J. (2015) The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Walter, E. and Gioglio, J. (2018) The Laws of Brand Storytelling: Win--And Keep--Your Customers’ Hearts and Minds. McGraw-Hill Education.

In addition to these reference texts, a combination of journal articles, podcasts, TED talks, websites and videos will be used to provide detailed examples and context to the learning.

This module will allow you to determine which communication styles suit you best and which platforms allow you to share your story with others most effectively. Through practical exercises, you will experiment with different forms of marketing and storytelling to get your message to the right audiences.

1. Digital Presentation of Storytelling Approaches (Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3)

Throughout this module you will have the opportunity to test out a range of storytelling approaches and platforms for your product/service. For this assessment you will produce a digital presentation (using whatever platform you choose i.e., PowerPoint, Canva, Sway, etc.) outlining three different approaches you have taken to promote your business and reflecting on how successful these approaches have been. You will then present this to a marketing panel and will be expected to address any questions that the panel may have.