Want to make your company’s complex technology meaningful, including to people who don’t typically “get” tech? Unleash your inner storyteller.
Without a doubt, mastering storytelling can be one of the more important assets a research or technology leader can possess. (Just ask legendary storytellers like Sheryl Sandberg or Richard Branson.) However, it can often be one of the toughest skills to master.
For many technical professionals, storytelling doesn’t come naturally. They’re trained to work with data and research findings, and their expertise lies in analysis and precision rather than in translating that work into something a general audience finds meaningful. As a result, the communication gap between technical teams and broader audiences can be significant.
The good news is that the art of turning dense, complicated material into a compelling story can be learned. Consequently, if you’re a leader of a company in the tech world who’s not a natural storyteller, you can become one by practicing a few strategies.
1. Lead With What Your Tech Can Do for People
Some of the most successful tech leaders realize that the people who buy, use or invest in their products need to understand how those products serve humanity. Certainly, they’re interested in features and benefits. However, they also want to know how those features and benefits affect others.
BioStem Technologies provides a useful example. Rather than asking patients or clinicians to engage first with the complexities of placental tissue processing, the company often frames its technology through the human impact. Articles like “The Transformative Impact of Effective Wound Care on the Lives of Patients” focus on mobility, quality of life and recovery outcomes, helping readers understand why the science matters before diving into the underlying research and technology.
Ultimately, no matter how advanced a technology may be, people most often make decisions based on outcomes, not specifications. The companies that communicate most effectively are often the ones that help customers, investors and other stakeholders understand not just what their products do, but why those products matter in real life.
2. Show Rather Than Always Tell About Your Tech
You’ve likely heard the saying that a picture speaks louder than words. There is some truth in the fact that people often connect with images in a deep and meaningful way. Visual media — photos, videos, and demonstrations — can bridge that gap, turning abstract data into something an audience actually feels.
Apple often uses this strategy to its advantage. For example, in 2023, the company released a long-form video that began by featuring all the ways people use iPhones during important life moments. Though the video eventually began to talk about the “nuts and bolts” of its latest gadgets, its emotional, humanistic kickoff was a playbook sample of storytelling.
To apply this, focus on how your product affects a single user. A video showing a salesperson spending more time with family — thanks to your efficiency software — can be far more persuasive than any feature list.
3. Stay on Top of User-Generated Content Related to Your Tech
Did you already launch your product or a prototype into the marketplace? Encourage your early adopters or beta testers to upload content about their experiences on social media sites like X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or Facebook. Then, use social listening software to keep track of what they’re saying.
When you begin to get alerts about their user-generated content, take the time to break down their main messages. User-generated content can be a window into what is most important for your end users and customers. For example, companies using Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot frequently share videos showing the robot inspecting construction sites, navigating difficult terrain or performing routine monitoring tasks. These real-world demos make a sophisticated platform instantly relatable — and reveal which use cases and benefits matter most to users.
Again, you don’t have to force yourself to make up stories on your own. By listening to others, you can sometimes uncover the stories that are already written. When you do, you can simply repeat them in your own words.
Getting people excited about your technology is unlikely to happen based on a simple whitepaper or spec sheet. Instead, you need to put storytelling to work to help others truly understand what you’re offering with your products and solutions.
