We business storytellers get lots of advice from the marketing gurus. Tell a hero’s journey story. Share your own story. And above all, be vulnerable.
I’m going to suggest that we step away from those tried-and-true models and look to a surprising source: the murder mystery.
The truth is, many business stories focus on identity – “Who’s the person behind the website?” Mysteries focus on “What is the problem and how do we solve it?” Asking “who solves the problem” comes later, if at all.
As an avid mystery reader, copywriter, and business storyteller, I’ve identified five ways this can work, giving you an easier new way to write business stories.
I’ll use an example from a series you’ve probably never heard of: Antonio Manzini’s Rocco Schiavone books and videos, featuring a very unconventional Italian detective.
(1) Start with the question.
Every murder mystery is built around one single question that drives the story: Who killed the victim?
If you drift into a fairy tale or a hot-and-heavy romance, readers feel betrayed. And they don’t come back.
Sharing “why I’m doing this” isn’t the same as “here’s how the process works” or “why you should grab this.”
A successful business story does one job and does it well.
(2) Your personal quirks make you a better problem-solver.
Rocco Schiavone is not a model of virtue. He smokes (including a morning joint), plays by his own rules, and has a personal life best described as “it’s complicated.”
But his flaws actually make him a better expert. He knows when bending the rules will deliver a better solution and when sharing a joint will help him connect with someone more easily. His background helps him connect with the people he interrogates.
Business storytellers often get encouraged to share personal traits just to be…well, more relatable. “You’ve walked in my shoes.”
The truth is, potential buyers want to see how your personal quirks make you a better expert. Did you have a traumatic experience that drives your passion? Does your music hobby help you see new angles to solve the problem faster? Does your experience give you unique insights into your client’s problem? That’s what we want to know.
(3) Play fair: you don’t solve by magic.
Mystery writers have an unwritten contract with the reader.
Detectives rely on brainpower, not magic. Readers can follow along and see where the detective is going. The villain doesn’t show up in the last three pages.
Business stories have even more reason to play fair. At every step, you’re earning trust.
The moment someone thinks, “This feels exaggerated,” or “this probably didn’t happen,” they get skeptical.
For example, one coach told a story about draining her credit cards three times in six months. That rarely happens. After the second time, the banks take the cards away for a long, long time.
Your story has to be able to stand up to scrutiny from a skeptical audience that’s been around the block and has heard a zillion marketing pitches.
(4) Treat your audience as colleagues who problem-solve with you.
Rocco Schiavone, for all his rough edges, is street-smart and book-smart. He connects with the criminal element and the snooty university crowd. He’s never afraid to show off his intelligence. But mystery writers know: readers like to feel smart. That’s because they usually are smart and they identify with a clever detective.
I shudder when I read business stories that suggest they help people who are lost in the woods without a compass. Usually, they have all the tools they need, plus a spidey sense that warns them, “This doesn’t make sense” or “It’s too good to be true.” They don’t trust someone who dismisses them as clueless.
(5) Offer a satisfying resolution.
Mysteries don’t end with “we’ll never know.” Readers feel that justice was done. People got the outcomes they deserved…even if the detective didn’t quite play by the rules. They understand what happened and why. They keep coming back to get that same feeling: satisfied but wanting more.
Business stories often skip a few steps, leaving the reader uneasy (“what really happened?”) or too satisfied (“so simple I can solve this myself”). The story feels incomplete. Maybe they learned they could pick up a new skill or get a project done…and they say “so what?”
.
So the next time you tell a business story, try thinking like a mystery writer:
What’s the purpose of this story?
Are you showing real competence—or just relatability?
Are you playing fair?
Does your audience feel like colleagues or subjects?
Does the story actually resolve?
Business storytelling focuses on purpose, not personal revelation. The goal is to leave the audience thinking, “How does this affect me?” and “Am I being shown a better way to solve a problem?
And ideally, your story will stand out as unique: not a hero’s journey or yet another rags-to-riches story, but as something they haven’t heard before, something that seems to be speaking directly to them.
When the mystery becomes the model, they’re focusing on the problem they need you to solve…and it will actually be easier to write a purposeful story that holds the reader’s attention.
NOTE: You can watch the Rocco Schiavone series – 6 seasons – with English subtitles on PBS. Last time I checked the first 4 books were translated into English and the first 6 into French. Other translations exist (check the Internet). You can order the Italian books from a variety of sources including Feltrinelli in Milan.
