What is the underlying motivation for your customers? Is what you’re offering them the thing they truly need? Or is it just something that will get them one step closer to the thing they truly need? And which of those does your story address?
Are you telling your story? Or are you yelling it? If the story of your business is a strong one—if it’s well thought out and told in a compelling way that people can understand and relate to—then you shouldn’t ever need a bullhorn to tell it.
“Eunoia is the shortest word in the English language that contains all five vowels. It means beautiful thinking.” The Eunoia blog brings together creative thoughts (and stories) from outstanding figures in business, marketing, and advertising.
Started in 2005 by a Dutch investigative journalist, this week’s Story Winner, Tony’s Chocolonely has an admirable mission: 100% slave-free chocolate. And not just for themselves, but for all chocolate worldwide.
What we tell people about the “how” of our business matters, and goes a long way toward helping future customers decide whether we’re the kind of company they want to do business with.
For those who care enough about their business, a compelling story can go a long way. It can be the nail that fixes the horseshoe that enables the rider to get the message there in time to win the battle and save the kingdom.
According to author Anni Schleicher, “Although ingredient provenance has always been important, consumer interest in discovering the story behind their foods has risen further and is increasingly influencing purchasing decisions.”
This week’s Story Winner is Prospector Theater, a nearby non-profit whose primary mission is to provide meaningful employment to people in the area with disabilities, giving them opportunities to “sparkle” and shine.
As we tell our business story, it’s important to not only consider what our own why is, but what the why of our intended customers is. What’s important to them? And what’s the intersection between that and what’s important to us?
So what’s the story behind the month of February? (Besides being known for Groundhog Day, the Super Bowl, Black History Month, and Valentine’s Day, that is.) And why should its story matter to small businesses?