Birmingham, May 2019. European Election Week looms over the country.
A convicted peer of the realm, multi-millionaire and literary record-breaker takes to the stage.
Five hundred people crane their necks. Another 1,000 are watching live online. “Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to announce…”
He pauses. The room waits.
“I would like to announce my intention to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party.”
The room erupts. A joke, of course. But Lord Jeffrey Archer already has the audience eating out of his hand. He has told us a story.
And seven years later, following the sad news of his death at the age of 86, I’ve found myself thinking about that moment again. And about something I’ve never admitted. But we’ll come to that.
I originally wrote about meeting Jeffrey Archer the day after that event because something he said really struck me. You see, I am a writer. I communicate.
Jeffrey Archer was also a writer. But that wasn’t really what made him special. He was a storyteller. In fact, no. He was a master storyteller.
Over the course of two hours that day he discussed the craft of writing, politics, his time in prison and even his record-breaking career as an amateur athlete.
He had lived quite a story himself.
Some good chapters. Some rather less good ones. But he knew how to hold a room. And that was the lesson I took away from meeting him.
There is a difference between writing something and telling somebody a story. It’s a lesson I’ve repeated many, many times since.
Ask yourself this:
- Does your marketing tell stories?
- Would you HONESTLY want to read one of your own case studies
- What about your About Us page?
- Your testimonials?
- Your press releases?
Because somewhere along the way, businesses became very good at taking genuinely interesting stories and squeezing all the life out of them.
“We are delighted to announce…” Zzzz. Please don’t.
- Who is involved?
- What did they want?
- What went wrong?
- What nearly went wrong?
- What changed?
- What was at stake?
- What happened next?
Tell me the story.
That’s PR. That’s marketing. That’s communication. And that’s why, seven years after meeting Jeffrey Archer, I still remember his lesson.
Which brings me to that confession. There’s just one small problem with me sitting here eulogising one of the most successful storytellers of all time.
I’ve never read a Jeffrey Archer novel. Not one.
I know. I met the man. I listened to him talk about storytelling for two hours. I came home and immediately wrote a blog about what he’d taught me.
I’ve repeated the lesson ever since. And I STILL haven’t actually read one of his novels. Which is ridiculous.
So, in memory of Lord Archer, I’m going to put that right. But I need your help.
Which Jeffrey Archer book should I read first?
- Kane and Abel?
- Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less?
- First Among Equals?
- Or is there another one that absolutely has to be my introduction?
Email me and let me know. I’ll read the one that gets the most votes.
And then, perhaps, I’ll come back and tell you what one PR man learned from finally reading a master storyteller.
After all… every good story deserves another chapter.
Happy Headlines. Greg