How to spot a story in your business.
At F&E we like to say that every person and every organisation has a story to tell, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to recognise a good story when you see one.
To help tell the overarching story of your brand, the experiences of your customers, staff, partners and even your critics can also make good stories. These experiences will offer insights into different facets of your product, service or culture, but they will likely have a few things in common.
They overcome conflict: From our favourite Hollywood blockbuster to a beloved fairy tale, the protagonist will usually face some kind of conflict at the outset and the story unfolds as they try to resolve that conflict. This is also true in business storytelling. Entrepreneurs will talk about how they overcame great obstacles to establish their business. Customers will talk about how a product or service helped them solve a problem. Staff will talk about how working for their current employer is a perfect fit. As consumers of stories, we love to see how the conflict plays out and are reassured by the resolution.
They gain emotional buy-in: To see this in action, think about the last time you donated money to a charity or crowdfunding appeal. Something in what you saw or heard resonated with you enough to hand over your hard-earned. It may have been the vulnerability of the storyteller. It could have been the magnitude of the problem the charity was seeking to solve. Perhaps it was the immediacy in need that rang true. Whatever the trigger for you in that moment, you had bought-in to the message. Good business stories don’t simply align with the readers’ values – they prompt action and people start wanting to support the cause, join the movement, buy your product or work with you.
They appeal to multiple levels: A good business story will often appeal on a few levels. Yes, they can tug at the heartstrings (emotional buy-in) but they can also appeal to the head and the hip-pocket. A business story that combines data with drama – to show the impact or a product or service on a real person – will help potential customers see how working with your business could make sense for them, too. This is particularly true of the number crunchers among us who need to see a clear business case before making any decisions.
They show, don’t tell: This tips is also known as ‘Self-referral is no referral’. We can be the best DooHickey makers in the world, but will anyone simply take our word for it? By getting happy customers and industry leaders to talk about why our DooHickeys are the best money can buy, we are able to move beyond describing features and benefits to building credibility in the minds of our audience. From a recruitment point of view, it makes sense to have your employees share their stories and really show why it’s great to work for you, rather than you say it yourself.
Of course, once you’ve identified the stories in your business, you then have to be able to craft the narrative and get it to your audiences where they live. But that’s a tale for another day!
Peita