Ask the expert: Why your business narrative matters more than ever

Give yourself a pat on the back. Go on, you deserve it.

2020 tested every single one of us, and we should feel proud to have even made it this far.

Now, with vaccines on the way, we’re finally able to look ahead to the future.

So, where do we go from here? And what have we learned about ourselves, and our business, over the last twelve months?

It’s my sincere hope that we’ve all had the chance to reflect on the role we play in the world, and think about the value we bring to our customers and clients. However, that’s often easier said than done. It’s tough to get introspective when you’re worried about bills. ‘Higher order’ thinking probably comes more naturally when you’re not spending all your time fighting fires.

This is why storytelling is such a vital part of the communication ecosystem.

Ultimately, it’s a discipline for processing all of the things we think and feel about whatever it is that we’re building, and sharing it in a way that will mean just as much to other people. It’s easy to forget that emotions are just as important in making business decisions as they are in our day-to-day lives. And stories are the best way of engaging audiences on an emotional level.

We learn about stories from an early age – usually at bedtime, as exhausted parents hurriedly flick through the pages in the hope that we’ll nod off before Hansel and Gretel find the path of pebbles to lead them back home. The problem is, we begin to take for granted what makes a great story. Because there’s a vast difference between hearing one, and telling one.

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and thought “I’m enjoying this, but I’m not really clear on where it’s going?” That’s usually a sign that the writer hasn’t figured out what the story is really about. That leaves the reader or audience crying out for something more meaningful.

In his successful marketing blog, Dave Trott recently talked about the various businesses floundering or flourishing in the wake of COVID lockdowns. Looking at gyms, he pointed out that the fitness brands that see themselves as a space where people come to exercise were struggling to stay afloat. Alternatively, the brands that understood that their purpose was to motivate and inspire people to exercise, were pivoting and finding new ways to engage their consumers.

Like the caterers who’ve switched to creating indulgent ‘pamper hampers’ or the bars who offer DIY at-home mixology solutions, the businesses who’ve figured out what they’re about, rather than what they do, are the ones who aren’t just surviving. They’re finding all new ways to build customer loyalty, based on the thing that they stand for. They understand their purpose, and have been able to find a variety of ways to activate it. That’s the power of storytelling.

But, in the same way that introspection can be difficult when you’re trying to stay afloat, finding clarity can be equally challenging in a world that seems to have a voracious appetite for content.

If you’ve ever spent the evening scrolling through Netflix just trying to decide what you’re going to watch, only to realise you’ve run out of time, and switch back to old Friends reruns, you’ll know what I mean. There’s stuff everywhere and it can be overwhelming. Sometimes, more is just more.

So, when it comes to telling your story, you want to find something that feels distinctive, unique and unforgettable.

Unfortunately, it’s easy to get distracted by all the detail instead. Before you know it, a quick introduction has turned into a full-blown autobiography, and editing it down feels like an insurmountable hurdle. What to leave in, and what to cut out feels like an impossible ask.

The fact is, a lot of great writers believe that the story isn’t revealed until the editing stage. They craft their narrative like a sculptor who, rather than making something out of a blob of clay, chips away at a block of marble. Chiselling, shaving and polishing until the subject is finally revealed.

As a business storyteller, you have to get it all out first, and then be willing to sift, edit and finesse with ruthlessness. And this is where people usually need the most help. Firstly, to ask the right questions and shake out all that detail. Then, to dispassionately chop away at anything that isn’t essential, or vital to the telling of the story.

The end result is always better for it. A compelling story that captures why your business exists, and why the rest of the world needs to know about it. A tale that’s more than just the sum of its parts – a narrative that’s meaningful, memorable and moving.

So here we are, at the start of 2021. You’re still here, and you want the world to know about it. It’s time to turn the page, and tell your story.

www.insidestories.guru
terry@insidestories.guru