By now, many of us in communications know how difficult it can be to break through the noise andmakesure our messages and stories are heard.And while this is an exciting time to be a corporate communications professional, it's also a time to get with the program and think different about the way we are telling our stories.

Last week I was given the opportunity to attend and speak at Ragan Communications' 6th Annual Employee Communications, PR and Social Media Summit. The conference had three different tracks and was packed with information and best practices for PR, social media and employee communications professionals. But across all of the various sessions, the one message that resonated most for me wasthe importance of authentic storytelling.

Here are five tips to make your next story great:

1. Clarity above all:Clear concise writing is key. Stop with the corporate jargon.
2. Be a verb nerd:Collect verbs you want to use. Often times we use words in our writing we would never say out loud. Stop that.
3. Know your goals:If you don't have a specific reason for telling a story, it will fail. You must always have a goal -and know how to measure against it.
4. Quote me:Use quotes to add spice to your story.
5. Who's your hero?Every story needs a hero.

The bottom line: People rationalize buying decisions with facts, but they make buying decisions with feelings.

Make sure your story pulls at the heartstrings and lets the reader know what's in it for them.

Curious to learn more? Take a look at one of my favorite Cisco video series, which tells a story in an authentic, human and compelling way while also communicating key businesses messages.