Corporate Storytelling Enhances the Growth & Visibility of a Brand
Companies have always focused on growth, profits, people, and processes. They understand the market, make changes to their products and services that are meaningful and relevant. They have specific departments to focus on every aspect of their functioning, such as HR, Admin, Technology, Marketing, Sales, and Finance. They try to align with a common purpose and sometimes they fall apart or are at loggerheads fighting with each other. Big boss- es mediate then, call for reviews, and bring them together again. Companies are like rock bands full of musicians who play their tunes on the stage. Like conductors, leaders try to optimize their composition, nudge, or cajole these musicians into harmonizing the corporate Symphony. However, great music is never produced at all times. People become obsessed and start jostling internally and, at times, forget their customers. Managers become confined in the prison of policies and metrics. A company's music and tunes become a cacophony.
If this sounds familiar, don't be surprised. That's what's happening at most places, and it is time to bring back life in this so-called tiresome journey of push and pulls in the corporate orchestra.
Progressive companies are bringing entertainment back to their enterprises. They've started to realize how Storytelling creates the new fabric of an organizational culture both internally and with their customers. Imagine how the story of an employee solving an almost impossible problem can be made into a short thriller movie. For that matter, a new product feature that is gaining a funny reputation with customers can become an excellent comedy clip. Think of a person with a disability, narrating a heart-warming story. These stories are hidden treasures that seldom come out in the open and reach out to large audiences. When companies start making these stories, a new cultural fabric gets born in corporations, creating curiosity and engagement. Employees and customers start loving their brand associations with these companies. The entire rank and file feel motivated. Analysts, investors begin to get a feel of the great things that happen inside companies. Storytelling is a new capability, and in today's times, this will significantly enhance the reputation, visibility, and recall of a brand.
How can companies make Storytelling a way of life?
It merely starts with collecting ideas from all departments and functions. Here are a few steps that can enable companies to hatch those stories from eggs already laid:
Send out surveys to people and encourage them to write stories of their experiences in their company. You can help them define themes such as customer success, employee inspirations, or out-of-the-box savings.
Acknowledge the best ones that you may like to pick up and offer prizes.
Convert all these stories into short movies (1-3 minutes). A few of them may be episodic in nature to create retention, engagement and pull.
Get a story partner who will convert these ideas into cinematic narratives.
Publish and promote them on social media.
Stories have always remained as lasting memories in the hearts and minds of people. Stories bring out the 'why', 'what' and 'how,' altogether as a wholesome experience instead of bullet points. Stories sell, inspire, and bring ideas and action together. The great David Ogilvy once said, "You cannot bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them in buying it." Are you making your customers or employees interested? If not, then it's an excellent time for you to start planning. It's fun. It's uplifting. You will be surprised how you can take your brand and business to the next levels.
