Every week, people ask me: what’s the point of storytelling?
To which I usually reply: It’s the idea of showcasing the people behind their organization for promotional purposes.
But, what they are actually asking me is “what’s the point of telling my story?”
The point is this: nowadays, when we buy something – whether it’s a product or service –, we buy a P-E-R-S-O-N.
Think about it. Have you ever wanted to buy a car only to realize the salesperson was getting on your nerves? Have you purchased an insurance out of the blue after thinking about it for years simply because you met the right person? Have you contracted someone just because your sister-in-law referred you that person?
Chances are, you have.
Why? Because it’s normal, it’s HUMAN!
It’s human to go towards people with whom we have something – or someone – in common.
It’s human to trust our peers’ recommendations.
It’s human to want to encourage those we know and like.
It’s human to trust those with whom we’ve exchanged and those we’ve gotten to know.
It’s human to support those whose journey we’ve come to appreciate.
But, what happens if you hide and never converse with your clients, if you don’t present yourself as your true self, or if you insist on formality for the sake of professionalism?
What might happen if you never share with your clients? How do you think people will want to encourage you? How do you think they will come to trust you?
Failing to expose yourself to your target audience can mean one of two things:
- People won’t have an opinion on your business
- People have an opinion based on their impressions, perceptions, experiences, and on things they’ve heard that may not be accurate.
If being qualified used to be enough to differentiate yourself, it no longer is the case today.
The world is full of competent entrepreneurs who offer the same thing as you.
What’s left? Yourself. Your story. Your values. Today, that’s what makes a difference and that’s what people look for when making their purchasing decisions.
Your story = your unique selling proposition (USP)
Telling your story is an opportunity to present yourself, promote yourself, stand out from the crowd. You have the chance to be seen and heard.
It’s your opportunity to shine and to remind your audience of your existence.
Telling the story of your business also allows you to share information that is harder to include in tag lines, ads or daily updates but that is nonetheless important.
Anecdotes and real-life examples can also be exploited to talk about your experience and showcase the expertise of your business.
Beyond your story lies the story of your employees, your partners, your business besties, and even your clients.
Storytelling is a tool to highlight your organization’s credibility AND to celebrate other people’s contributions.
You can praise their good work, show them in the middle of the action, or simply present them as the individuals that they are.
Whether you share your story on your website, your social media, your printed materials, at conferences, or during networking sessions, there are many options to present yourself. You just have to be willing to show up!
