Guest: Andy Raskin - Strategic Narrative Consultant. Andy helps CEOs and company leaders align their teams around a strategic narrative, having worked with top companies like Gong, Dropbox, Uber, Salesforce, and Square. Key Takeaways: Traditional pitching, often termed the "arrogant doctor" approach, focuses on problem-solution dynamics, which is less effective than framing a strategic narrative. A strategic narrative begins with identifying a shift from an "old game" to a "new game," exemplified by Salesforce's move from software to cloud solutions. Key components of a strategic narrative include naming the shift, defining the stakes, identifying the object of the new game, outlining obstacles, and presenting solutions. Successful strategic narratives align sales, marketing, and product teams, serving as a strategic north star for company direction and decision-making. Testing the narrative in real-world sales scenarios helps refine and validate its effectiveness. Topics Covered: Strategic narrative framework, storytelling in business, Salesforce and Zuora case studies, category creation vs. strategic narrative, impact on product and sales alignment, testing and refining narratives.
“Not a compelling story.”
“A movie is a pitch.”
“Make the title the takeaway of the slide.”
