Last Updated on June 1, 2023 by Dave Schoenbeck
Since the beginning of humanity, people have used stories to communicate. Stories can take a dry message and paint an incredibly engaging picture. Moreover, a well-told story can live forever in the minds of its audience.
Most leaders underestimate the power of using well-crafted and exciting stories to make their ideas more compelling and actionable.
Storytelling in business communication is an effective strategy that can help you convey your message in a meaningful, memorable way.
Why Storytelling is Important in Business
Stories are powerful because they can influence their audience. Reading a description of a product or service won’t do much to inspire a potential customer. However, creating a story to sell that same product or service can have an incredible effect.
What do we mean when we refer to storytelling in business communication? Effective storytelling for business means sharing information in a way that creates a connection with its intended audience by causing an emotional reaction. Assigning a story to your business gives your customers a point of contact that can set you apart from the competition.
Stories can be used as a marketing tool to enthrall your audience and motivate your employees. In addition, the stories you tell about your business can create a sense of camaraderie for all who are a part of it, from initial awareness to the point of sale to those on the inside, making the magic happen.
How to Use Storytelling in Business
Crafting a story for your brand requires intention. Here are some tips for successfully using storytelling in business communication:
- Be relatable. Businesses build trust by establishing common ground with their audience. Even huge companies like Amazon seem relatable to an audience when you read about their modest beginnings in the Bezos family garage.
- Include concrete details. An abstract story is far less memorable than a specific one. So add detail to your business story to create a solid sense of place and time that will stick in your audience’s mind.
- Be real. Don’t embellish or exaggerate because you think it will make a better story. People appreciate authenticity, and being honest about your business’s journey can do more for you than editing your history.
- Be clear in your message. What sort of emotion are you trying to inspire with your story? Empathy? Sadness? Hope? All of these can have their place in a marketing strategy, but it’s essential to have a clear vision of your message so you don’t get lost in the weeds. Your brand story should be a passenger train, not a rollercoaster.
- Stay consistent. Once you have a great brand story, you want to share it consistently across all platforms. Your social media pages should tell the same story as your website. Consistency will attract and retain customers over time; one consistent story is more memorable than many different ones.
Strategic storytelling in business is essential for leaders to learn and exploit. So when you want to develop your storytelling techniques for business, fill out my contact form, and let’s schedule a virtual meeting to help you make a plan.
Coach Dave
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