Once Upon a Time: How do you find your company’s story?
If someone asks you to tell them your life story, is it easy for you to do? Do you need clarification on which details they’re looking for or a moment to think about the highlights you want to offer? You probably need a few seconds to collect yourself before you move forward -- and the same goes for your company. Telling a story isn’t something you can do without a little digging, but once you find the right pieces, you can create a masterpiece that tells others exactly who your company is. Read on to learn how.
The Leading Lady/Gentleman
Let’s consider two scenarios: one is an ad for a baby blanket that shows you a picture of the blanket, maybe with some features explained. The other is also an ad for a baby blanket, but this time, they show an adorable baby wrapped up in the blanket, smiling at you adoringly as only a baby can. Which ad resonates with you more? It’s probably the one with the baby, because it used a personal element to appeal to you as a human, parent, aunt, uncle, or even just someone who loves cute babies.
Much like you stopped scrolling for a moment to take a second look at the baby in the ad, your clients will notice when you add a personal element to your story. They know what you do, but they might know much about you. Share something that inspired you to begin your business. Post a photo of the first office space you ever used, even if (maybe especially if) it’s just an old desk shoved into a corner of your kitchen. Tell your clients what drives you to succeed on their behalf every day. People respond to personal stories because they want to share their own -- and isn't that what marketing is all about?
The Harrowing Tale
Stories are all about how you relate to other people. This means you have an opportunity to connect with clients through specific parts of your story. If you are working with a school that is trying to attract more students, you can relate your own experience as a parent or loved one going through the process of finding and selecting the right school. Showing empathy to your clients lets them know you understand their needs.
It’s important to note that your stories need to be authentic -- don’t make up an experience or opinion just to appeal to a client. But even if you don’t have experience with the exact problem they are trying to solve, you can still relate as a person who knows what it’s like to not have all the answers. If you can be more specific, that’s great! If not, sharing personal tidbits that simply reveal your humanity will still go a long way.
The Thrilling Backstory
Your company may have a long history, or it may have started two days ago. Either way, you have a story to tell. Consider how you present yourself. Do you want your story to showcase the wide variety of clients you have helped? Are you hoping to connect with a specific demographic that you feel led to reach? You can’t possibly relate every single detail of your story, so knowing which elements will be the most important to others can help you shape your image into the best reflection of who you are.
If you have a team of people working for you, start by asking them which parts of your company’s story stood out to them the most. If you’re a solo operation, talk to some colleagues in the field who can give you feedback on what they would like to know about how your company evolved to where it is today. Asking others to help you tell your story is a great way to determine which details will have the most impact and which parts of your story will relate to more people.
Knowing how to tell your own story may seem difficult, but the good news is that your story is already there -- it’s just a matter of finding it. Sit down today and start with the basics to begin telling your tale. Or, if you’re looking for some inspiration, give Murphy Marketing a call: we are in the business of telling stories just like yours.