Building a brand is one of the most important yet complex parts of starting or promoting a business. Now, more than ever, having a unique brand is helpful in boosting the company’s name and reputation. One of the most effective methods includes storytelling, but most companies DO NOT KNOW how to TELL THEIR STORIES.
Conveying the message through storytelling, at the right place, at right time, and to the right people can be such an advantage for anyone– whether for a CEO, a candidate, a partner, or a customer.
Using storytelling to captivate customers or audiences for a business is not new- in reality, it is the most used method in marketing and that is sometimes creating the impression of “over-engineering” the message. That is why, the prerequisites for storytelling should always start from the space of honesty and respect for the audience, and storytelling is different from selling. Making the message clearer by associating it with a story, is not an easy task and should be aimed at helping the audience understand it better, and spend less time and effort processing the information.
For a company, storytelling is more about captivating the people to look at the company’s values, culture, products, or services. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that when you are practicing storytelling, you are already on top. It is more on how good you are at telling your story. Are you attracting the attention of your audience? Are you telling the right story? Are you doing it right?
Below are some guidelines for storytelling:
Be Consistent
When it comes to storytelling, most of the time the goal is to make it interesting- and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem comes when it isn’t consistent with the initial story built for the brand. Having consistency in your story, makes people trust you more and it makes it more real and memorable. Remember that there is nothing better than a company people trust.
Be Clear and Concise
Avoid confusion! Being vague and broad should be avoided as much as possible. Always be clear of what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and why you started in the first place. If possible, share some lessons you learned- leave them something to remember; give them something to connect to.
Identify Who Best to Tell Your Stories
The CEO is also considered the face of the company. They are often the ones people see or know. Their achievements and how they present themselves reflect on the company. With this, it is expected that they are the ones practicing and doing storytelling, and if they do not (not only the CEO but the C-level executives as well) or the company is not doing it, they are surely missing out.
Good storytelling needs to be authentic and able to connect with the audience. Storytelling doesn’t only help the company present itself to potential clients or customers. It also helps them attract talents because candidates or potential employees need that; they want it. In today’s age, young talents do not join the company solely because of its name, they join stories that connect to their values. The more personal the story is, the better it is for them to relate. Through storytelling, companies will be able to show what their mission really is. It is not an easy task, it takes a lot of time and consideration to be able to have good storytelling.
