What's your story?
Why a clear narrative is fundamental to business growth.
I recently had a rare opportunity to switch my standard visit to the cinema where I attempt to entertain the kids on a wet day with the latest all singing and dancing animation, to watch an actual grown-up movie – Air.
Air charts the history of the creation of Nike’s partnership with Basketball legend Michael Jordan, the people who made it happen, the development of the Air Jordan trainer, and the impact this approach has had on sports marketing worldwide.
It’s a story that combines all the perfect elements of a great tale: purpose, passion, innovation, problem-solving, and above all great people. People that saw an opportunity to do things differently, to make things better, and had the drive to succeed. It’s the perfect narrative.
Why does this matter?
Well from a brand perspective, the Air Jordan trainer changed the fortunes of Nike. It allowed the brand to dominate the basketball trainer market when they’d previously been a minor player, and it changed perceptions of the brand.
On a simpler level, the story is a compelling one. I wanted to learn more. I was invested in the film: I wanted to watch it again.
In so many ways, this is the type of connection you need to build with clients that you want to partner with, or with businesses and customers that you want to invest in your product or services.
Plus, if you get anywhere near the success of the Air Jordan trainer, there’d be some mighty celebrations, I’m sure.
But it’s not just about customer perceptions. A compelling narrative that tells the authentic story of your business and demonstrates a clear purpose, is equally important to employee engagement and productivity.
In an article that explores the importance of a clear narrative, Engage for Success look at the key elements of a great business narrative from a people perspective: “Your organisation’s story needs to have depth and breadth, but not necessarily length! It needs to enable your people to see the Big Picture, what your organisation’s purpose is, where it has come from, where it is going.1
So how do you build a compelling narrative?
As you grow your business and the profile of your brand, many of the elements that were in this film are those that you can bring to life in your narrative:
· What is the true purpose of your business?
Why does your business exist beyond making money and what benefits will this bring to your customers, clients, and your people?
· What is it that your business and people are passionate about?
Why do your people get up and come to work every day? What makes your organisation different? what gives it the drive and ambition to grow?
· What problems are you solving for your clients and customers?
How does working with your business make life better for them? And how does this solution-focused, innovative mentality drive your business forward?
· Who are the people beyond your brand?
Beyond the transactional, people want to build meaningful, human connections. In an industry that is founded on amazing people delivering an amazing service the ability to tell your story in a real, human way is hugely important.
Being clear on who you are as an organisation, what you stand for, and the benefits that working with you or for you will bring, are essential building blocks to long-term business success. In a competitive market, it’s not always easy to stand out from the crowd: having a clear narrative will distinguish you from the competition, helping turn your growth ambitions into reality.
Written by Liz Oakley
Liz Oakley is a communications consultant in both external and internal communications. She collaborates with EP to help growing businesses create compelling market-focused narratives to drive growth.
linkedin.com/in/lizoakley
liz@lizoakleycommunications.co.uk
https://engageforsuccess.org/strategic-narrative/