Stories aren't just for campfires and school children. They're a powerful way for businesses to communicate their value, to create an emotional hook that sticks in their prospects' imaginations.

Think, for example, of how Nordstrom has used the story of the no-questions-asked-money-back refund to the customer who returned an old tire—even though Nordstrom has never sold tires. It's cemented the department store's reputation for outstanding customer service.

Or consider the story of how two determined engineers, Bill Hewlett and David Packard, pioneered the development of Silicon Valley from a tiny garage in California. That anecdote has become the foundation of HP's reputation as an innovative, entrepreneurial organization.

Stories can make a business. Yet most businesses remain tongue-tied—not because they don't have stories to tell, but because they don't know how to tell them.

Good news: you don't have to be a writer to create an effective business story. In fact, all it takes is three simple steps, what I call "3D Storytelling."

Step One: State the DESIRE

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