Why Storytelling Still Matters (Even in the Age of Data)

Summer’s a notoriously quiet time for me here at Mosey Media. It’s when I take time off. It’s when I catch up on sleep. It’s when I catch up on our business activities.

One of the things I love doing during these slower months is reading. I especially love reading about how I can improve, not just personally, but professionally too. Recently, I was given a book at an event we worked on, and it’s completely grabbed me. It’s called The Storyteller’s Secret.

As I’ve been reading through it, I’ve found it really fascinating. I mean, I’m a filmmaker. I’m a storyteller. I even write in my spare time. I already know the power of storytelling. I know how much it can move people. I know how effective it is at driving sales, boosting website clicks, encouraging social engagement. But this book has done such a good job of highlighting why storytelling matters, not just in creative fields, but across all industries.

And the truth is, it’s often the first thing we forget.

One of the big things that tends to replace storytelling, when maybe it shouldn’t, is data. And don’t get me wrong: I think data is a brilliant tool. It’s powerful. And it’s essential for almost every business. But data alone isn’t the best way to communicate your vision, whether that’s to your customers or even to your own team.

What The Storyteller’s Secret really nails is this: data and storytelling need to work together. Because when you only share a page of facts and figures, you’re appealing to the head, not the heart. And most of us make decisions using both.

It’s never been easier to acquire data. I can do a quick Google search or ask ChatGPT and find out what the average cost of a certain service is. I can then tell a client, “This is why I charge what I charge.” But most of the time, they don’t really care about that. What they care about is the why.

If I can take that data and package it in a story, showing them how that investment adds value, how it’ll improve their business, how it’ll make them and their customers feel, then I’ve got something way more powerful. And that’s what the book gets into. It explores case studies with everyone from lawyers to pastors to CEOs, and it makes a compelling case for why storytelling is essential to great business, great pitches, and great marketing.

So I just want to encourage everyone, especially in a time where data feels more important than ever, to not forget the emotional side of communication. Data is powerful, but it becomes far more engaging when it’s paired with a strong story. People don’t really engage with spreadsheets. They engage with stories. Stories make data palatable. Stories make data human.

And I need to remind myself of that too. It’s easy to hop on LinkedIn and post, “Here’s some stats, here’s why you should hire me, here’s why video works.” But people already know a lot of that. Sure, it’s good to remind them, but what really sticks is the story. The story of how a video we made helped transform a business. How it changed the way customers interacted with their website. How it made them feel.

Because in the end, data speaks to the head. But storytelling speaks to the heart. And if we want our businesses to truly connect with real people, we’ve got to speak to both.