Kristen Fields showed operators a framework for stories

Kristen Fields started her presentation at the Coworking Creators Summit with a story about herself at six years old, told two different ways.

First way: She was a very chatty child. So chatty that her sister tried to bribe her to shut up for five minutes. She didn't do it. Couldn't make five minutes.

Second way: She's driving down a Florida highway, windows down because her sister's car doesn't have air conditioning. She's spouting off every fact about cats and dogs she knows. Probably talking about how it smells outside. How it smells inside the car.

Eventually her brother-in-law gets frustrated: "If you'll stay quiet for five minutes, I will take you to Chuck E. Cheese."

She said yeah, no problem. Closed her little trap.

About a minute later, they hear a small whimper from the back. "Kristen, what's wrong?" Because she's full-on crying.

"When I stop talking, I get sleepy. If I fall asleep, I will not be able to go to Chuck E. Cheese."

Kristen told the same story in two ways. But in the second version, you could imagine sitting in the back of that car. You could feel the emotions she felt as a child terrified she'd miss Chuck E. Cheese. If you had an annoying younger sibling, you understood the emotions of trying to get her to be quiet.

That's the difference between telling stories and storytelling.

Why storytelling works for coworking brands

Kristen Fields is co-founder of Knuckledragger Studios, with fifteen years in marketing. She came to the summit to talk about how storytelling can take your brand to the next level.

Storytelling works because people want to be part of something. They imagine themselves as characters in their own story and in others. They're more likely to join if they like the story you're telling.

There is telling stories, and then there is storytelling. The first version—straightforward facts—is rudimentary. It gets you information but doesn't make you feel anything. Storytelling is vivid and emotional. It elicits a specific response from the reader or listener.

Bad storytelling has inconsistent narratives, too much or too little plot, no one to root for, and no heart. Have you ever gone on a website where so much information pops up so quickly you don't know what the space is or who it's for? That's rough storytelling.

Great storytelling has clear structure, distinct point of view, unique flair, strong characters with wants and desires. It shows instead of tells. It gives a little but leaves room for mystery. And it's got heart.

The framework: heroes, problems, and guides

Kristen uses a framework from Donald Miller at StoryBrand. Every story needs a hero, a problem, a guide, and an objective to complete. (Is this also the hero’s journey from Joseph Campbell?)

Spoiler: Your customer is the hero and you are the guide.

The ending is up to you because the guide can only give the hero the plan. So the plan can't suck or not give them enough information.

Kristen came up with example heroes: A worn-out mother who needs quiet hours to work but doesn't want to travel far from her kids' school. A young entrepreneur new in town who wants to make friends and connect with local community. A small team that wants space to work together without hoping for coffee shop tables.

"People love being a part of the neighborhoods they're in, and they love the story of the neighborhood they're in and where they are."

The storytelling exercise

Walk into your space at the beginning of the day. Drop preconceived notions. Pretend you know nothing.

Research your city, neighborhood, street. Look into history and what's going on around you. Are there businesses that have been there fifty years? What used to be down the road?

Kristen worked at a restaurant called Grays on Main in Franklin that used to be an old pharmacy. They had prescriptions from the 1900s on the walls. People loved that story.

Now sit in your space and go through a sense exercise. What's the first thing people see when they walk in? What do they smell? Touch? Taste? Hear? Do this in different parts of your space.

Write a short story about a day in the life of someone walking into your space, from entry to exit. Use voice memo, handwriting, or typing. Really bring in all those smells, tastes, feels, and sights.

Ask members at different stages to share their answers. Someone there a few days versus several years will notice different things.

Think about your heroes. Who are these people? What is their problem? How is your space solving it beyond just practical use?

Now go to your website, emails, social media. Does this align with the story you're telling?

Showing versus telling in action

What we see on websites: "Here's our amenities. Coffee bar. Meeting rooms. Outdoor space."

Nothing's wrong here, but it doesn't tell you anything about the vibrancy of the space. It doesn't put you in the story.

Kristen rewrote it: "Inside a light-filled location, we offer amenities to help you work the way you want to, including a robust coffee bar in the middle of the action featuring beans from our favorite local coffee house. Sip and chat with friends new and old with our choice of dark, blonde, or decaf made just the way you like it, with milk and milk alternatives. Don't worry, we did the dishes for you."

You're painting a picture. You imagine walking in. They're doing dishes. They probably have great mugs. You can do your oat milk. You love chatting with people.

For meeting rooms: "Looking for a space to congregate without spilling industry secrets? Snag one of our five cozy meeting rooms decorated in a signature style reflecting the neighborhood. Easy online reservations mean you'll never need to worry about a knock on the door right before you close that life-changing client deal."

One version gives information. The other creates a feeling.

People don't join coworking spaces for desks and meeting rooms. They join for the feeling of having a quiet place close to their kids' school. The feeling of making new friends when they're new in town. The feeling of having reliable space to gather.

Your job as the guide isn't to sell them the solution. It's to help them see themselves as the hero of a story where your space solves their problem in a way that feels right for who they are.