We live in an age of skepticism. You might say people don’t take candy from strangers any more.
They don’t take advice from people with an agenda. They skip commercials and throw away junk mail. And they don’t trust a marketing message. They trust the stories their best friend tells.
By corollary, people want to do business with people. Not corporations. But not just any people. They want to do business with people who share their core values, who they can identify with.
In order to succeed in this environment, businesses must build a foundation of values. But they must communicate those values in a nonthreatening, non-pushy way.
It’s time marketing passed the baton to storytelling.
The problem with marketing
Gone are the days when people believe everything in print. Today E.B. White’s erudite spider wouldn’t be able to save Wilbur with words spun in silk. (If you haven’t read Charlotte’s Web, you should!) The farm hands would read those spiderweb words, shake their heads and ask, “Yeah, but what’s in it for me?”
Consumers have been bombarded with sales messages for so many years, they know your message profits you more than it does them. They’ve bought too many products that fall short of their promises. They’re looking for the catch.
Or a reason to believe.
One of the ways you can help your prospects believe is by developing a strong corporate story.
How stories work
We’re essentially emotional beings, driven first by fears and desires and lastly by logic. Because of this, we’re “wired” to respond to stories. Stories draw us in by engaging our emotions before they set off our logical processes.
Yet they don’t shut down thinking. According to Stephen Denning, in The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations, stories don’t replace analytical thinking. They enhance it.
Stories can, in fact, help you connect with your employees, customers and prospects on a much deeper level.
Stories can help you define your corporate identity… develop a community of friends, followers and fans… educate… and share your values.
Unlike pushy marketing messages, stories can deliver your message in a believable way because they don’t trigger sales resistance. They don’t ask for anything. They simply reach out to make connections.
How do you develop your corporate story?
Your business’ story is the reason it exists and the obstacles it’s overcome. But to connect with your prospects, it must resonate with them. Ideally, your story isn’t about profits.
Answer these questions, and you’ll have the ingredients of a great story:
- What’s the bigger purpose of your business?
- How do you make the lives of your customers better?
- What are the beliefs and values that guide every business decision you make?
- What gap might you leave if your business wasn’t there?
Sometimes your story is easy. Nonprofits often have the advantage here. For instance, GuideStone Financial Resources was created to help ministers retire with dignity. That’s an easy story to jump on board with, and as a result, GuideStone has developed a strong, faithful following.
Even for-profit companies can find a distinctive story though. For example, Disney is in the business of helping families create happy memories. Everything they do, from theme parks to animated movies to the Disney channel, all support that story. As a result, everyone trusts Disney for family fun and entertainment.
Make sure your story is customer centric, not all about you. Coca-Cola used to have one strong message: They were the Real Thing. And while this message distinguished them from copycats who were trying to steal some of their market share, it wasn’t a story you could relate to.
Recently they’ve made a branding change that hits the mark. They’re still the real thing. But the real thing is happiness.
I like it.
Give your story some thought
While research and argument make an impression, stories connect. Give a statistic and people will listen for a second. Tell a story and they’ll listen to the end and beg you for more.
Stories contain problems and solutions, good guys and bad guys. They help us interpret life and find meaning.
Stories also invite the listener to participate. Your story can provide the facts that need to be known, wrapped up in emotions, personalities and actions. The listener may then interpret the story, drawing their own conclusions, grasping your meaning in a way that has meaning for them.
This is what makes stories so personal.
Has your business built its success on a story? What are some of the core values that support your business? How do you communicate it?
Be sure to post your comments below.
