Written by: Prasantha Devulapalli, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Most of us grew up with fairytales and adventurous stories from childhood. Yet as we grew older, somehow, we seem to have forgotten the influence that they’ve had on us, how they moved us and ignited our passion. In fact, we learned about love, empathy, kindness, fairness, good versus bad, gratitude, and so many other life lessons and values through these stories.
Now, being able to tell a good story is making its way into board rooms and the business world. Personal growth stories are being used as powerful tools for branding and getting our customers to know what values we stand for, how we achieved our success, and our why. The new way of sales and traction communication for businesses focuses on telling their story authentically and with vulnerability. As the world is opening up, storytelling has become pivotal in branding and subsequent growth of companies, especially as there are more competitors offering similar services and/or products, thanks to digital and technological advances. So, you have to find a way to stand out and find your uniqueness. Just think of companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, to name just a few, and how we relate to them.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or from the corporate world, people are more interested in the human frame. They want to know more than just facts and figures. They want to know why they should do business with you. Some customers even want to know if your values align with their values, especially regarding the environment, wages, fair trade, human rights, equality, diversity, etc. Therefore, I believe that if you can master the art of telling the story of your growth, you will find that you will attract more customers and definitely more engagement and loyalty. In addition, you will also build a brand for your company and you.
So, how do you tell a good story for your business growth?
There are several tips on how to tell a good story but here are just the three main tips that I think work extremely well after researching hundreds of companies, how they built their brand and why that particular story worked.
The first tip is perhaps very obvious, but here is where I would start.
The purpose of your story.
Your story needs to be relatable. It needs to be simple with one message. That's where the purpose plays a huge role. Your story should explain the challenge that you, your friends, and/or your family faced. Why did you feel compelled to find a solution? Why did that problem hurt? Be a storyteller first and a salesperson second when you call for action at the very end. The purpose of why you are doing what you are doing is what will set you apart. The deeper you are able to go into yourself, the more relatable you will be. Sometimes, our true purpose may seem silly (in our personal opinion) but trust me when I say that ability to say out loud why you are here, at this moment, with this particular product or service is what people understand and resonate with.
Any storyteller will tell you. It's how you tell it, how true you are, how clear your message is, and how willing you are to show the vulnerable side of you. That means you need to go deeper within yourself. Find clarity. What was your passion? What problem did you see that you wanted to solve? The more clearer you are on your purpose, the more you will attract customers without spending a lot of time feeling like you only care for what you can get from your customers. Your purpose is your why for your business. So spend time identifying your purpose. Spend time perfecting your story. Live your story. And this brings me to my next point.
Be authentic.
I know, I know, it’s all over the place, this word - authentic. What does that even mean? And can we ‘learn’ to be authentic? Being authentic is as close to being honest, but with yourself first. It's often easier said than done, for sometimes, being authentic also means being vulnerable. It's about being able to recognize your mistakes and be willing to own up to them. I would also claim that we can learn to be more authentic with clarity in our message through our story. So, on that note, let me tell you a short story.
I was walking home one day and my sister called. After a few minutes of chitchatting, I blurted out that I was going to quit my job. I cannot carry on, I said— sobbing into the phone. Why, she questioned me, knowing how important my job was to me and how much I loved it. Sobbing, I told her how sick my child was, how the doctors didn’t know what was wrong, how she was going blind and lost her hair... the list was long of my problems and how overwhelmed I felt. ‘At the end of it all though,’ I said, sobbing even harder, ‘I cannot be replaced as the mother of my daughter, but at work - they can replace within a day.’
All that long sob story didn’t make sense, but that one last sentence, me being irreplaceable in my daughter’s life and me knowing that my employer will always find someone else to do my job, set the course of change within me. I quit my job, started my own company, and began my journey to becoming a balanced and conscious leader, author, and mentor. I have, using my personal and professional experiences, even developed a unique leadership program.
Keep in mind that the moment you start talking about all the benefits that one would get by buying your products or services, you will lose your audience. Your story is not a sales pitch. It’s not some superficial storyline; it is about your life, your purpose, your journey that others can relate to. People want to know - why did you leave that steady and high-paying job and place yourself in an uncertain situation? What was your motivation? How did you get here?
One thing I often hear is, ‘my story is not so unique,’ or ‘so many people have the same experience as me.’ Well, I’m here to tell you that the story of another person may sound similar, but only you can tell your story with your unique voice. What you have learned from a somewhat similar experience may not be the same as what another has learned from his/her experience. So, own your story - with authenticity.
Have a strong ending.
Now, we are often told that we need to have a strong start. While this is very important to get your audience’s (read customers) attention, it is just as important to end on a strong note. Just as they will remember the beginning of your story when it is told powerfully, they will remember the impression you have made at the end. It's at the ending of your talk/story/presentation where people will take action when you lead, and they follow.
There are several ways you can end your story. The best way is to summarize the main points or the one action that they should take and why. You can end on a personal strong note/ a life-defining quote as well. You can also definitely now demonstrate how their lives will change, how much easier their life will become, or how empowering their taking action now will be.
To conclude, to tell a good story to attract your customers and grow your business, you should:
Know your purpose.
Be authentic and genuine.
Have a strong ending.
To become a skilled and effective communicator, in Coral Swans 8-week leadership program, one of our modules concentrates on all forms of communication. To know more, drop us a line at our website: www.pdmc.no or our FaceBook page: Coral Swans.
If you want to know more, feel free to contact me and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin. You can also visit my website.
Prasantha Devulapalli, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Prasantha Devulapalli is the founder of Coral Swans, which runs an 8-week intensive tailored Balanced and Conscious leadership program for companies and individuals internationally. She is a highly accomplished and recognized leader amongst her peers with over 20 years of leadership experience in various fields. She has also been a mentor for social entrepreneurs and start-ups since 1997. She is the author of the book Blaze the Trail - Essential skills for Future leaders. Her company also helps entrepreneurs with consulting, designing websites, logos (branding), social media management, and other technological needs. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and equity and is a motivational international speaker on various leadership topics. Raising a disabled and chronically ill child, she hosts YouTube channels, one on Leadership and one with her daughter, Different Shades of the Norm.
