The Power of Your Authentic Business Story

“People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact it’s the other way around …” Terry Pratchett, novelist

Human beings are story telling creatures. That’s how we communicate… through stories. This has been true throughout our long history and it is true today. What many people don’t realize is that our businesses have stories too.

In business there are many ways we communicate… both outside and inside our company. Outside it’s critical that potential and existing customers understand who we are, what we do, how we do it and why we do it that way. They are always evaluating options and comparing you to other service providers to see if you’re the best fit for them. It’s not just about price… customers today are savvy, they are looking for more than just cost, it’s about value.

The main thing that drives that is how your employees interact with customers and potential clients. How they tell your story can make or break a customer’s experience working with you… and that can determine whether they come back again or not. It also drives how they will share their experience of your company.

The 21st century reality is they WILL share their experience. People text to family and friends, share their feelings at online review sites and post their experience on multiple social media sites. If your staff understands your business story they are much more likely to act in concert with it… and understand how they fit into the plan in an meaningful way.

That also helps boost morale and provides a solid foundation for communication within the company. If everyone is working from the same blueprint, then everyone can make the thousand little decisions they make everyday fit into the whole. It’s like everyone in your company rowing together towards a goal… instead of everyone trying to go their own way at their own pace, causing your business to circle uselessly in the water going nowhere.

There are 3 important factors in telling your unique story to the world about your business… both inside and outside your company:

1. Why do you do what you do?

One of the biggest factors in succeeding in business today is creating meaning for your customers. We are all looking more keenly at the intangible benefits of working with one company versus another. The best way to create meaning for your customers is to be clear why you do what you do. That way they know what to expect from you, and they can determine if their interests are aligned with yours. Are you the no-frills airline focused on low costs? Then people who don’t mind only eating peanuts will fly with you… as long as peanuts is all they have to pay. Are you the premium service in your industry? Then you’re going to make perfect sense to the discriminating customer with some extra money and a desire to be pampered. Your why guides them to you. Your business story needs to describe that experience so people know exactly what to expect from working with you.

2. What are you really doing, not what do you wish you were doing?

Many companies are not sure what business they are really in. What I mean is that you may have made changes in your company since you started. The company you started out with is probably not the one you’re running now. You introduce new products and services. You change your service offerings to match customer needs and the market conditions in general. In all that shifting it’s easy to lose sight of what your company is right now… what I call your “Authentic Identity”. As opposed to the concept you had originally, your “Nostalgic Identity” or the company you wish you had, “Your Aspirational Identity”. Being grounded in reality gives you strong footing… and it also needs to be the basis of your business story too.

3. Who is the hero in your story?

King Arthur finding the Holy Grail, Harry Potter defeating Voldemort, Nelson Mandella persevering and becoming President of South Africa after 40 years in jail. Heroes are what make stories exciting and engaging. Knowing the characters, and specifically the hero of your business story is critical to making it resonate with your audience… inside and outside your company. Defining your hero isn’t as simple as it sounds sometimes. The general rule of thumb is that it’s the person who’s listening. So that might be your customer… or it might be your employee. It depends on who you’re trying to inspire and motivate. Being clear who the real hero in your story is will help you make sure that it connects, and that the message you’re delivering is actually internalized. That means you will need more than one way to tell your story… depending on who you’re telling it to at any given time. Being clear who the hero needs to be will help you focus the story for high impact.

Learning to tell your authentic business story is just about the most important thing you can do for you and your staff. So you’re all rowing together towards the finish line… and your customers will be cheering you along the entire way because they get it too. Everyone wins when your story clicks and draws in the right people to work with you.

If you want more information on telling your business story connect with me directly at www.linkedin.com/in/ericbyrd. I'd be happy to talk to you about crafting one that fits your company... inside and out.