Step 1: Define Your Situation

Context: What does your audience already know?

Current State:

• [Key fact about current situation]
• [Relevant background information]
• [Baseline metrics or performance]
• [Industry or market context]

  Example: "Our company has been profitable for the past 5 years with steady revenue growth of 15% annually."

  Step 2: Introduce the Complication

Problem/Opportunity: What changed or what needs to change?

The Complication:

• [What went wrong or what's missing]
• [Why this matters]
• [Impact of not addressing it]
• [Urgency or importance]

  Example: "However, a new low-cost competitor has entered the market and is capturing 20% market share by undercutting our prices by 30%. If we don't respond, we'll lose profitability within 12 months."

  Step 3: Articulate the Question (Implicit)

Natural Question: What should we do?

Key Questions:

• What is the best path forward?
• How do we solve this problem?
• What should our strategy be?

  Step 4: Provide the Answer

Solution: Your recommendations or key insights

The Answer:

• [Specific recommendation 1]
• [Specific recommendation 2]
• [Specific recommendation 3]
• [Rationale and expected outcomes]

  Example: "We recommend focusing on our superior service reliability (where we score 8 vs their 6) as our key differentiator, implementing a premium positioning strategy that justifies a higher price point."

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  Storyline Examples

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