To tell an impactful story, work backward from a singular goal. When your audience is done reading or watching your story, what should be the first thing they think or do?

When you understand your primary goal, we can develop a storyline, multiple storylines or an entire campaign around that singular goal.

We can craft the stories so when we get to that payoff, the audience is set up to receive that message and you have a better chance of achieving your goal.

Creating content and stories for the sake of creating stories with no goals, no audience impact will just be stories that might be entertaining but are quickly forgotten. Working from a singular goal allows us to create stories that have an impact today and will be remembered tomorrow.

While perhaps not the singular goal of Pixar Animation Studios, there is a reason why most of us cry at the end of Coco when Miguel sings to his great-grandma. Pixar's storyline set us up for that singular moment.

Read here to learn more about the power of 'working backward.'