Storytelling in Business to Make an Impact
By: Joanne Cattermole
People have been using stories as a form of transmitting information since humans first walked the earth, so while you might not think storytelling and business interlink, honing a narrative (whether it’s your own or your company’s) can keep you a head above the rest in the workplace.
Stories = Authenticity.
Markets are more saturated than ever with companies battling it out to attract the same group of consumers. Telling the right story about your brand or product is the most effective way to connect with your customer. Think about Apple and Tesla. Both companies have rich stories tied to their founders that keep them at the forefront of their industries. Most people would immediately be able to name Steve Jobs or Elon Musk in relation to each brand. People connect with these figures because of the myths and stories they have created.
Stories Persuade.
Telling a story creates empathy. A listener will be more invested in your idea, or at least more understanding of your point if they are hearing it through a story. Imagine you’re in a meeting with a superior and you’re pitching a new idea. The idea is expensive and risky, but it’s something you truly believe in. Recounting a success story of another business who has taken similar risks will have your listener envisioning the same success. Facts and figures are important, but less compelling and more forgettable than stories, use a combination of both for effective pitches.
Stories Sell.
There are several businesses that make their money by selling stories. Think about how crowd-funding apps have exploded. Heartfelt narratives about a growing business, a need for medical treatment, or a desperate desire to go to Fiji for the first time have people donating money to others they may never have even met, for causes they didn’t know they believed in. Check out the start-up Beam, which helps disadvantaged people in the UK get their lives back on track through training via crowdfunding. The stories of the beneficiaries are heartwarming and give donors immense satisfaction while persuading others to contribute.
Stories are what bring people together. Shared emotions creates a connection between us that rhetoric, fact, figures simply cannot. Whatever industry you work in, storytelling plays an essential role in your day-to-day. The more stories you tell, the more successful you will be.
Joanne Cattermole is a marketer and researcher from London. She moved to Shanghai in 2018 and now works for a boutique branding agency. She runs the social media for Unravel and is the marketing/communications lead for the Women in Business Focus Group at the British Chamber of Commerce. When she’s not telling stories through her work, she can be found dining out in various restaurants in pursuit of a second career as a BonApp KOL.