There is a straightforward way to stand apart from your competition – and that is by telling a better story. Your brand story builds “stickiness”: the element that makes your story memorable and sticks in the minds of your ideal audience. Did you know that more than 80% of consumers say they need to trust a brand before buying? That’s a number that can’t be ignored!
So, how do you write a memorable business story that creates trust? It’s all in the authenticity of storytelling, how you build connection and trust in your business expertise, and the value of your offerings.
Encourage your audience in storytelling and pull them closer to you. The power of a good business story will inspire; it will motivate business owners to create and share connections to their own stories. Pique interest. Don’t sell yourself short. Share your story and tune into your audience’s pain points.
Part of your business story comes from the purpose, mission, and vision behind the business. There is a reason why your business exists; how it came into existence is another part of your story that will establish the credibility your audience wants to reach themselves. their zenith. Ultimately, your business is meant to provide a solution – a solution that meets the needs and desires of an ideal audience that resonate with your offerings. What are these offerings and solutions, and why are they important to the customers you serve? These questions are meant to guide you toward a clearer understanding of your business purpose, and fill the gap in knowledge you may have as a business owner.
If you’re reading this, you know our mission and vision. We help provide sustainable, honest technology solutions so you can focus on your expertise. When we work together to connect, ignite, and dominate your business needs, you can begin to focus on your customer’s challenges and what they are searching for.
Business Purpose
All businesses start with a purpose – a solution to a problem. Pairing this with the right story of WHY is another important step to connecting with your potential clients. That WHY is hidden beneath what brings you joy in your day. Where do you find satisfaction in your daily tasks?
One thing we know is that what drives us in our business can go beyond the services we offer. It’s our ability to see changes in the lives of our clients that cause the greatest satisfaction. The ability to capture that transformation is done through storytelling.
Business History
The inception of your business is an important element of your how. We all start from somewhere, usually from ground zero. Pause for a moment and think about the first instance that inspired you to put your foot down, and get started. What struggles personally come to you with starting a business? Is there a time when you thought it wasn’t the right move for you, just for you to later exceed expectations?
People love a good underdog story – one that celebrates the lessons you learned from setbacks; one that carried you through hardships; one that eventually led you to opportunity. Identify key milestones that brought your business into existence and shape your purpose, mission, and vision around the value they hold.
The history behind your business matters as much as the way you brand your business now. But there still needs to be a fine line between where you came from and where you ended up – to truly address the passage of time, effort, and progress you dedicated to yourself and your business. This is what makes a business story better – the humanity and tenacity behind it.
Business Mission
Now it’s time to clearly articulate your business mission. Your business mission should include who your business helps, what problems your business solves, how you solve these problems, and as recently talked through, why you do what you do. With our help and the help of these prompts, you can completely take charge of your business!
Name your business values, create a story behind them, and blend them together to mold your business mission, then you can finally take command of technology and focus on what you love to do. Our part of your business is helping you get found so you can get more customers to grow your revenue and grow your business. Simple.
Once you name the values and tendencies that make up your business – think about the long-term purpose – what does this call for? Set up your call to action(s) (CTAs) and always keep in mind how you can evolve them. We talk about this next. We’re almost there!
Business Evolution
It is common for big brands to bring their failures into their business story – it helps humanize where they came from. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we all got here by failing at some point so it is crucial for us to be unreserved and transparent about the not-so-successful parts of our business story. These “failures” speak to your grit and character. By incorporating – and owning – the failures that brought you to start your business, you are showing your character development and values.
Personally, I was laid off during the recession of 2007. That spawned in me the determination to create a new life – one where I controlled my destiny. 2007 was the summer my daughter graduated high school. I was laid off and was given the gift of time – where I could spend time with her before she headed off to college. When I look back now at that time, I remember spending summer days with her in simple ways – a hike together, a summer picnic, college shopping – things I may not have had time for if I was still working full-time. Once she went to college, I was determined to start my own business. I wanted to serve those that – just like me – were looking to build their own lives around their family and the things they loved. That was where Blue Zenith was created. You see, failures are the beginning of a transition. It’s how you take failure and allow yourself and your life to evolve that becomes the most important part of your story. Sharing how you have evolved through the decisions in your life becomes the foundation of your powerful story.
The purpose, history, mission, and evolution of your business reflect the immutable uphill battle it is to sustain a profitable, inspiring, and successful business. Business ventures are not linear. Business ventures capture the heart and soul, the ebb-and-flow of what it means to build a business around the things that mean the most to you. If you’re comfortable, share with us your failure that evolved the beginnings of your business!