Audio: Ron Ploof on the business of storytelling

Ron Ploof is one of the best storytellers I know.

His Griddlecakes Radio show has been around since the podcasting’s early days in 2005 and explores the “lost art of audio storytelling.” Ron typically shares tales from his own life–and in dramatic fashion. Whether he’s recounting a harrowing vacation in Hawaii or the lessons he learned as a young paperboy, Ron has his listeners riveted to the adventures and challenges of the protagonist.

While Ron isn’t producing Griddlecakes Radio as often as this fan would like, he certainly hasn’t stopped talking about the power of storytelling. These days, he’s just sharing his wisdom with businesses that want to make their mark in new media.

I caught up with Ron in Southern California recently and recorded this conversation about the importance of storytelling in business.

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Running time: 5:32

Show notes

* Ron summarizes the elements of good storytelling and lays out how a business or brand can tell *its* story in a compelling way.

* Ron explains why companies should involve their customers in the storytelling process and talks specifically about the social media content that Johnson & Johnson has created.

The Johnson & Johnson story

At the end of my discussion with Ron, he also talks about his latest white paper: “Johnson & Johnson Does New Media.” The report, which was published earlier today, details some of the imaginative ways that pharmaceutical giant has approached social media over the past 2-3 years.