The Value of Corporate Storytelling

In today’s marketing and advertising spheres, one of the major trends is content marketing. Having ideas and assets that can be shared and explored, played with and discussed, all offer opportunities to engage with customers in a new way. In fact, content marketing is so prevalent across the industry, that 78 percent of CMOs believe that it’s the future of marketing. 

Within this dialogue about content marketing is the current fascination of corporate storytelling. It makes sense; after all, storytelling has been a part of the human experience since we first walked the earth. We’re motivated to engage with stories and can be inspired by them too. 

So when more and more businesses are reframing their products and brands in a narrative format, it’s more important than ever for you to have a compelling corporate story to tell. 

But What is It?

Stories are all around us. They influence our culture, our laws, our interactions. Their importance is clear, so it makes sense that businesses would want to share a story of their own. 

Corporate storytelling is about demonstrating the values and vision of your brand through a precise narrative. It’s an easy and appealing way to engage with audiences, establish trust in your brand, and sell more than just your products and services.

So now that we know what it is, how do you create a story worth listening to?

Take a Look at Who You Are

Like all stories, it starts with one of three things, a person, a place, or a thing. Your business could have started in your garage, or late one night in a coffee shop, or after a part broke on your car. This is the genesis of your story, but to refine it into a message that draws people together, you need to examine your company’s identity and reputation. 

The identity of your company might not always be clear. You might immediately think of your leadership team, but it might be more evident in the attitudes and values of your employees. When you think about your reputation, think about the things your customers reach out to you for. What do they expect from you and why? 

Once you have a sense of who your company is, you can start to explore the stories that best express that vision of self.

Get to the Point

The fact is, we might all have a story, but not every part of every story needs to be told. Some require every detail to make sense, while others are better when you play with the major concepts. It’s important to remember the key components of a story, and use those in your corporate narrative. Identify your set up, or what you have to offer your customers. Think about confrontation or the pain points you’re addressing. Seal the deal with your resolution or the part of the story that converts passersby into customers.

Give Listeners Something to Do

Whether they’re at the movies or at home reading a book, people like stories that encourage them to do something. In your case, your story should welcome your customers to do more than just purchase your products or partake in your services. It should invite them to be a part of that story in some way. 

Why Does Your Company Need a Story?

Every single one of us has at least one story to tell. At the corporate level, a story is more than just something to share at parties. It’s a chance to connect with others and to pursue goals and objectives. 

Getting Your Story Straight

In an era where information is communicated faster than ever and across more channels than we could have imagined even just a decade ago, having a corporate story to tell is just good business. 

When you have a clear corporate story, your message is more consistent. It mitigates the chances that different managers, work teams, or even individual employees might slip up and say something that’s off-brand. And if there is a slip-up, the story can be used as a defense, or rebuke, of the statement. 

A great narrative helps to keep your stories straight when it comes to your ad campaigns and messaging. So what makes for a unifying narrative? Your story should highlight the vision, mission, and values that drive your business. It should include the mantras you work by, and the things your business aspires to be. It should also include the value that your services or products have to offer the world. 

That’s a lot for a story to juggle, and to make it even more complicated, your story should be simple and complete. We’re all trained to recognize a plot hole when we see one, and no one likes a cliffhanger. An incomplete or overly complicated story will only serve to alienate your audience. 

It’s All About Bringing People Together

At both the business and individual level, your story is the fastest way to connect with others. 

Many immediately assume that corporate storytelling is simply about branding and moving products and services. While this is a big focus for your story, it isn’t the only one. By having a strong and clear story, you’re also attracting the kind of talent you want working at your business. If your story is exciting and engaging, people will want to be a part of that story and add another level to it. The top companies in the world don’t attract talent by offering comfy office spaces or free donuts on Fridays. They do it with a strong message that people believe in. 

A coherent corporate narrative also helps you to retain your employees. By couching company changes within the story, your employees will recognize how their work, and the challenges of change, contributes to the larger, shared goals of the company. Similarly, a strong corporate narrative allows individuals at the business to develop their own personal story that is woven within the corporate story. The result is that these individuals can more aggressively pursue promotion and leadership opportunities by leveraging their brand. 

We’re Here to Help Convey Your Story

You know your business needs a great story to share, but you’re not sure where to start. 

Don’t worry. We’ve got your back.

Partners in Post is more than just a video production company. We’re a full-blown creative agency held together by a team of creatives, artists, and visionaries. You can work with our project managers to weave a narrative that best expresses the vision and values of your company, and then work with our video strategists to create amazing assets that you can utilize in your marketing and advertising efforts.

Contact us today and see how Partners in Post can help!