Learning from Chekhov

Would you prefer “death by PowerPoint” or an interesting story of how a consulting firm helped Sharper Image double their online revenues? If the latter, take a hint from Anton Chekhov, the son of a grocer who helped support his family by writing humorous sketches.

One of his more famous quotes was “Any idiot can face a crisis; it is this day-to-day living that wears you out".  This philosophy comes through in his stories, which were not noted for their intricate plots. Rather, Chekhov found emotion and drama in ordinary, everyday events.

As business communicators, we’re not looking for the intricate plot either. Our job is to communicate how our companies solve ordinary, everyday business problems.

The basic story-telling model
Chekhov used a simple, three-part model to tell his stories. He first tees up a messy situation. He next describes the impact the situation is having on his characters - then delights us with an ending. Years ago, while deep in his third volume, I tried adapting his approach for marketing communications.  Not only did it work - it has never failed me. If I’m ever struggling to get a project of the ground, I kick the Chekhov model into gear.

For example, when structuring proposals or client success stories:

• Proposal: Two banks have just merged and the two IT departments need to be combined (situation). Which organization’s systems should remain in place? Which should be retired? Without a methodology, the decision process could go on too long, resulting in high costs and dilution of the merger’s objectives (impact). Resolution? Your company’s IT consulting services.

• Success story: The stock market’s poor performance (situation) was making it difficult for a new IT services firm to look to the market for investment capital (impact). So, you successfully sourced alternate funding (ending).

Of course, you need to succinctly fill in the dramatic details of the situation, impact and resolution – but you get the idea.

You can apply this model to any communications assignment. Describe a situation and the impact it is having on your customers. The impact can be positive (market opportunity) or negative (market threatening). Complete the story with how your solution either lessens - or takes advantage or the impact. This model is especially useful for sales proposals, new product announcements, direct marketing campaigns, position papers, or capabilities pieces.  It is especially useful for ad copy.

How did Chekhov’s life turn out? 
Chevhov’s reputation as a master of the short story was assured when in 1888 when The Steppe, a story in his third collection, won the Pushkin Prize. The Island of Sakhalin was a report on his visit to a penal colony in 1890. Thereafter he lived in Melikhovo, near Moscow, where he ran a free clinic for peasants, took part in famine and epidemic relief, and was a volunteer census-taker. His first play, Ivanov had little success, but The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard all successful, are still produced in regional theaters to this day, all over the world.

In 1904, Chekhov died of tuberculosis. Three years before, he had married the actress Olga Knipper, the interpreter of many of his characters.