Story has become too much of a corporate buzzword in recent years, but it doesn’t have to be, not if we look at story for what it really is. But, to really understand story, we have to understand what it is not.
Story is not just … a mission statement, a vision for the future, or an “About Us” page.”
A good company story should contain elements of all these, but should not rely too heavily on them. If you do lean on your mission, vision, or about page you sacrifice what makes your organization unique. You’re foregoing what makes you – you.
Renowned filmmaker Andrew Stanton describes storytelling as “joke telling” in his popular TED talk. He defines it as, “Knowing your punch line, your ending, knowing that everything you’re saying. From the first sentence to the last, is leading to a singular goal, and ideally confirming some truth that deepens our understanding of who we are as human beings.”
Stanton continues elaborate, saying, “In science we define creativity as an idea that is novel, good, and useful.”
Novel, good, and useful – that is what your story needs to be.
It needs to be novel. When people read or hear your story they need to feel like they’re hearing a story they’ve never heard before. Your story shouldn’t read like a Wikipedia page, it should read like … well, like a novel. It needs to be different; otherwise you’re no different from everyone else. Everyone, regardless of industry has a unique story to tell.
It needs to be good. It doesn’t matter a bit how creative or novel your story is if it isn’t good. I don’t mean you have a bad story; I mean your story is written or communicated poorly. A good story is emotional; it draws people in and engages them on a deep personal level. Unfortunately, too many companies don’t communicate their story effectively. They lack the emotional tug and are not relatable enough.
It needs to be useful. Obviously your product or service is useful, but do your potential customers known that? The pitfall so many companies fall into is when they tell their story; all they tell is what they do. This may sound normal and you may wonder what’s wrong with that? The answer is nothing – if you want to be average like most everyone else. If you want to make a lasting impression on the usefulness of your product or service, you need to discuss not just what you do, but what you do for your customers. There’s no more powerful and influential word to use than “you.”
The simple truth is – your story IS a story worth telling. And it’s important that you tell that story well and effectively. If you don’t, you have failed to separate yourself, and your organization, from the countless others in your industry. You can’t be okay with being average. The companies with the best stories tell them in a way that entices potential customers. If you’re looking for an easier way to reel in new customers, maybe it’s time you take a look at how your story is told.
