Storytelling that wins budget and influence
From 80-slide decks to two-minute boardroom wins.
Everyone wants a “story” these days. Clients ask for it. Agencies promise it. But half the time no one can explain what that actually means.
In insights, “storytelling” has become the default ask. It sounds right, doesn’t it? Creative, persuasive, easy to follow. Better than the proverbial data dump. But ‘make it a story’ can mean anything from a Christopher Nolan-style epic to a tight 10-slide deck with a clear flow.
The real question isn’t do you want a story? It’s do you have the right kind of story for the job? Because the difference between a rambling narrative and a sharp, retellable story can decide whether your insights shape strategy, win budget, and stick in the boardroom — or disappear in the noise.
What does “storytelling” even mean?
The problem with “story” is that it’s used as a catch-all. Ask ten people what they mean, and you’ll get ten different answers.
At its best, a story is not decoration. It’s a way of helping people make sense of complexity. It’s an orientating trip, not a Hollywood script. A good story simplifies the signal, makes the point easy to re-tell, and keeps the focus on the decision that matters.
Which is why the story you need depends on the job. Sometimes it’s the big-picture arc that sets direction, challenges assumptions, and builds belief. Sometimes it’s the exec-ready shorthand: three slides, bold visuals, or a message that can be retold to the CEO while you’re making coffee.
And culture matters. At Amazon, the story doesn’t come as slides at all. Six-page memos, read in silence at the start of meetings, force clarity and precision.
The point is: start with the end in mind. Who needs to hear it, how will they engage, and what do you need them to do?
The Basis Global blueprint
A strong insight story should:
- Open with a signpost: A quick summary that sets direction and can be retold at speed
- Be built on evidence: A clear signal or universal truth, not opinion
- Follow a simple arc: The what, the why, the so what, and the what to do next
- Reduce clutter: One idea per slide, short lines, purposeful visuals
- Make people feel something: Through design, detail, and human voice
This way you can avoid long decks with no thread, written reports that explain but don’t persuade and data walls that kill emotion.
That’s the difference between storytelling that sounds good, and storytelling that wins influence, budget, and airtime where it matters.
Stories in practice: Brand tracking
Brand tracking is where stories get stress-tested. Every quarter, leaders want to know more than just are we growing, are we protecting, are we at risk? They want to know what’s working, what’s not, what to dial up or down, and ultimately how to grow the brand. In other words: the what, the why, and the now what.
Most trackers fail that test. Some bury you in long decks of numbers no one reads. Others spin glossy narratives that sound clever but collapse under a single tough question. Either way, the story doesn’t stick. And with off-the-shelf trackers, you get off-the-shelf reports: endless charts, bloated dashboards, little influence.
At Basis, we think a stronger story comes from a sharper system:
Signal
When you’re in the boardroom, no one cares that you’ve tracked 20 different metrics.
They care about the two that changed and why that matters.
A good tracker cuts the noise and makes the shifts obvious. Each section should land one clear takeaway, the kind of headline you can repeat with confidence: “This is the change we need to act on.”
Sense
Numbers on their own don’t drive action, because they don’t explain why things are changing. A dip in consideration could mean a competitor launched a new product, that your pricing moved out of line, or that the campaign just didn’t cut through.
The right tracker connects the dots and gives you the context you need to make the numbers meaningful.
Strategy
This is the part most trackers skip. It is not enough to say awareness is up or loyalty is down. What matters is what the business should do next.
Most trackers stop at the what and the why. Strategy is where tracking earns its place. If the data shows awareness climbing while purchase intent is flat, the story cannot end there. It has to set up a clear choice: shift budget toward conversion, reframe messaging, or double down on acquisition.
That’s why we often use frameworks like the one shown below.
Whether it’s mapping consumer segments or weighing campaign performance, the point is not the framework itself. The point is to show how a shift in the numbers creates a decision for the business.
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Story
In a board meeting, you won’t get the time to walk through 47 slides. You’ll get a few minutes, if that.
That’s why a strong tracker packages the message so it can be retold quickly and credibly. For marketing, that might mean a campaign blueprint. For finance, the case for investment. For the board, three headlines they can carry straight into the next agenda item.
Think of it this way: a bad tracker is like CCTV. Endless footage, no clear story. A good tracker is a narrated highlight reel: the moments that matter, with the context to act.
Because the point of tracking isn’t a pile of data. It’s a playbook for the next decision.
Basis Studio: Design that makes stories stick
This is where Basis is different. Our in-house Studio makes stories travel. Outputs built to influence, not just inform. Formats that are built to win decisions, not just decorate decks.
To raise the game, stories need design that works with human behaviour, not against it. That’s why we blend proven formats with new ones:
- Infographics: Instant visual impact without losing depth
- Animation and video: Spark emotion and connection in the room and beyond
- Virtual Insight Galleries: Immersive, non-linear spaces where stakeholders explore insights at their own pace. They encourage collaboration, discussion, and deeper engagement
- Interactive debriefs & microsites: Bite-sized, digital-first hubs where stories live on beyond the meeting. Easy to revisit and share across teams.
- AI-powered chatbots: Instant answers, self-serve insight, no bottlenecks. Anyone can query the data directly and get a reliable response in the voice that works best
- Dynamic dashboards: Living views that update as the data shifts, keeping teams aligned on one source of truth
Together, these elevate storytelling from “nice slides” to a system of influence.
Want to see one of our Virtual Insight Galleries in action? We’ve got you covered.
Final thoughts
In the end, the goal isn’t a story. It’s influence. The story is just the vehicle that gets you there.
Whether it’s brand tracking, segmentation, or any other challenge you’re looking to unlock, we design stories that travel. Simple enough to retell, sharp enough to persuade, and strong enough to drive decisions.
