BUSINESS STORYTELLING AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO MASTER IT
Your business just like you is alive and thus to build connections and communities around it, it needs to put itself out there for different stakeholders to interact with it. Traditionally we have relied on advertising and PR to be the corporate mouthpiece but in today’s digital age, and connected devices, businesses and individuals have multiple opportunities to share and connect through their stories.
Today, every chance, interaction, and touch-point is an opportunity for you as a business or businessman to tell your story, and this not only gets you heard but it personalizes your brand, builds a community around you, and helps you realize your bottom-line goals.
Some of the most successful brands have used storytelling so effectively that even their storytellers became cult heroes. Steve Jobs told the Apple story so well that his narratives have been woven into people’s lifestyles; Nike on the other hand has used athletes and regular folks to tell their stories through their brand experiences and exploits.
However, it should be noted storytelling is not a thing you do; it’s an art that some of us are naturally good at while others struggle. Many of us shy away from speaking opportunities and we keep mum because of inadequacy or uncertainty of how our stories will be received. Some of us overthink and imagine we either don’t have the right equipment or that our stories are not good enough or ready to be told. This can’t be further from the truth; good storytellers start where they are with what they have. Using your phone, taking pictures, writing on your computer, or even doing a podcast; the digital space has democratized storytelling opportunities that every business can now be their own media house.
Keeping quiet while competitors are shouting and showcasing their inferior products is a disservice to your organization and as a business owner you must see yourself as your first marketer; after all who can tell your story better than you? Further telling your story shows you are proud and confident of what you are doing and over time it can help showcase your story and cushion your brand when a crisis happens.
What stories can you share?
Depending on your audience and desired outcomes a business can share milestones, new products or services, appointments, new technology, expansion, celebrate staff, processes and growth, their staff, accolades, mistakes, and lessons among many others. These stories not only allow you to share but also keep you top of mind in your target audience’s mind.
How can you tell your story?
For those unsure how and where to start, there is a vast trove of information available online on people and their brands sharing their stories. Follow these pages and see different ways the stories are told and shared and adopt one that suits you best or a combination of options. Further to this there are free and paid online resources on storytelling, clubs like Toast Masters and Zidi all of which specialize in the art of storytelling.
As you learn to tell your story, also learn your audience, know what interests or matters to them, understand how to capture their attention, and how to elicit a response from them. These story scenarios can be drawn from your operations or scenarios happening and related to your brand or your customers. Thus as a storyteller, you must be up to date with daily happenings, and you become versatile enough to use memes, reels, write-ups, videos, pictures, write-ups, social media, and traditional media to tell your story.
Storytelling wisdom demands you be authentic in your storytelling, don’t exaggerate, don’t brag but amplify what you are good at, and why customers need to choose you.
Unknown to many, a good story is also a partnership or investment acquisition tool. People who can connect and share the value and prospects of their business can attract investors and fundraise for their businesses while also having good stories to help mitigate fallback in times of crisis.
Should you wish to get the resources and support needed for you to start telling your growth and expansion story, Springboard Capital is your ideal partner. We are surrounded by invaluable networks whose stories and engagements will write the new chapter of your business story. We also offer various loan products such as Business Loan, Emergency Loan, Asset Financing, Salaried Loan, Loan against Logbook, Import Duty Financing or Title Deed Loan, to help grow and manage all operations.
Contact us today at 0700 944 444 or WhatsApp us through the button below, or email us at info@springboardcapital.co.ke.
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Article based on Joram Mwinamo’s BizSmart Webinar Presentation – Joram is the co-founder and CEO of SNDBX. He serves as a board member of Amnesty International and also a member of the Steering Committee at Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. Fondly referred to as the Chief Entrepreneur in East Africa, with over 15 years of experience. Mr Mwinamo has constantly been involved in policy development and championing for a better SME growth environment.
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