I don’t care if you’re 5 or 55 years old, we all love a good story! Whether you’re reading a novel, listening to a podcast, watching a rom com or having a catch up with your bestie over a brew - a good story keeps us hanging on every word.
So when it comes to business, imagine if you had the skill to tell stories that keep your audience hooked. You’ve already got a unique story that most people will never have heard and if you open up and share it, you’re onto a winner.
Storytelling has been the cornerstone of my business coaching and presentations for more than a decade - my clients often tell me a story of mine they’ve remembered years later!
So I’m excited to share with you what makes a good story to help you create and start sharing your own business story. Let’s get right into it and see how you can use your personal journey to connect and empower others.
Why is business storytelling so important?
All of the social media experts talk about being authentic, so creating and sharing your business story is so much more than just writing - it’s an opportunity for personal growth.
Sharing your story allows you to:
Build trust and develop relationships
Share your experience and knowledge
Inspire and motivate others
Stand out from the crowd
Where do you start?
Define Your Why
Everyone I speak to, probably you too, had a reason for starting their business.
Why did you leave your well paid corporate career?
What made you decide to work for yourself?
Have a think about the frustrations from your corporate background that lead you to where you are today.
Mark Your Milestones
What are the pivotal moments in your career?
These could be successes, failures, or tough decisions you’ve made that significantly impacted your journey so far.
Every good story follows the “Heroes Journey” which has “Highs and lows, struggles and celebrations”.
Be Yourself
Authenticity is crucial in storytelling, we can all tell when someone is making stuff up.
Be completely honest about your experiences, both the highs and the lows.
This is where the personal growth comes in because the truth isn’t always pretty is it?
Truth fosters trust and respect, making for compelling reading or listening.
Increasing Your impact
Focus on Facts
Think about the impact you’ve made doing what you do and sell the transformation.
Be as specific as possible when you’re sharing testimonials of how you’ve helped your clients or contributed to their success.
It’s not bragging if it’s true?? Paint the picture of where they were when you started working with them vs where they are now.
Embrace Vulnerability
Again, you’ll have to be very brave to share your struggles and setbacks, you know
Vulnerability can be powerful, showing your audience that you’re human and make mistakes just like them.
It also demonstrates resilience and the ability to bounce back from challenges.
Get Personal
Your business story is so much more than just your professional achievements.
Include personal touches that show who you are and reflect your values, personality, and motivations.
These add depth and intrigue to your story. Remember to bring in key characters too who have played important parts in your journey.
Structuring Your Story
Keep it Concise
You’ve read enough books to know that every great story has a clear beginning, middle, and end so yours is no different.
Start with your background and how you learnt your craft, don’t include ALL your past jobs, this isn’t an interview!
Keep the middle fresh and interesting with career highlights and memorable moments.
Bring it to an end with your bold vision and goals for the future.
Engage with Emotion
Stories that fall flat are when there is no passion and energy from the speaker.
Always remember to connect with your audience on an emotional level.
Sharing an exciting part of your career? Get excited!
Take your audience on a rollercoaster of highs and lows using your voice to evoke emotion.
Make it Relevant
It may be your story, but remember to put your audience at the forefront of your mind when you’re telling it.
Consider what they can learn from your experiences and how your story can inspire or guide them.
Tailor your narrative to address their needs and interests.
Selling Your Ideas
Share and Encourage
Remember that sharing your story will encourage others to be bold and do the same.
Hearing someone tell their story helps us feel more connected to them and gives us that little spark of inspiration right when we need it.
Provide Value
Alongside your story, offer practical tips and advice that your audience can apply to their own journeys.
Providing value ensures that your content is not only engaging but also useful and this will encourage people to follow you and share your story too.
What's Your Story?
Over to you now - I’d love to invite you to use these tips to write and share your own business story. When you do, use the hashtag #boldmovescoach to tag me in your posts and I’ll leave you a message.
Let’s connect, share, and inspire each other. Your story is as unique as you are, the more we hear of your story, the more we know who you are.
Remember: “people won’t remember what you said, they may not remember what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel” - Maya Angelou
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