#83: How to Give Your Audiences a Story They Can't Resist

With the always-on interwebs, I believe that ADHD is now a communicable disease. And, guess what? We are all the viruses. So, how do you get your brand story to rise above the noise and allow it the opportunity to be heard? Well, we'll look at one way to do that. On today's show, we're going to explore the concepts of irony and juxtaposition in your business stories to help them stand out—to help you stand out—especially with your visual storytelling. Our guest, James Popsys, has a unique view of life captured in the inventive and witty images he creates in Photoshop. His visual storytelling conjures up irony and juxtaposition to stop you in your tracks and trigger stories in your mind. From the verdant babbling brook flowing through the graffiti canals of London to the giant hot dogs grilling on the side of a building to the schooner sailing on top of a hurricane, James and I explore where the inspiration for his images comes from and how you can tap into that for your stories. He'll also show you how you can jumpstart your Instagram page (as you might imagine, a pretty important channel for his work) and, you'll learn his three rules for finding, capturing, and telling visual stories that genuinely stand out. What You'll Learn: How irony and juxtaposition can set you apart Why audiences prefer real as opposed to over-produced The rule of thirds and other tips for Instagram Key Quotes: Everybody has a platform now and there has never been more noise to have to break through to get your voice heard. - @jamespopsys  It's no longer about having the sharpest lenses and getting the exposure spot-on, it's about storytelling. - @jamespopsys  If you can find something that's different, as opposed to better, I think you stand a better chance of standing out. - @jamespopsys I want it to look like somebody has stepped up to a really odd scene and just snapped with their camera. - @jamespopsys  Mentioned in This Episode: James Popsys James Popsys on Twitter, @jamespopsys and Instagram, @jamespopsys Top 10 Photoshop Tips for Beginners "Winning The Story Wars" - by Jonah Sachs Casey Neistat The Ten Best Brand Moments of 2016 PixelSquid How Luck and Intuition Helped to Build Instagram