“I have nothing to report,” said Liesbeth when I spoke to her about writing for her company. And that while she had made a beautiful post on Facebook the week before in which she said that she had discovered a number of stained glass windows that her grandfather had made. Liesbeth is not the only entrepreneur who does not (yet) see that she is surrounded by stories that she can use in her communication. And that's a shame, because storytelling can bring you a lot as an entrepreneur. In this blog I share 5 reasons why storytelling is important for your company.
1 People remember stories better than facts and figures
Our brains are programmed to remember stories better than bare facts and figures. Stories linger because they appeal to the imagination and we can imagine them. When people are told about movement, the brain part is about motor work. Are you talking about food? Then the brain part of the senses starts working.
2 Stories make a message unique
Suppose you have the choice between wok sauce A and wok sauce B? Wok sauce A is made by a large multinational and is purely focused on making a profit. Wok Sauce B is made by an originally small family business. The family came to the Netherlands from Indonesia in the early 1950s. Food plays a central role in the family. They sell their family recipes in the Netherlands. Which company do you buy your wok sauce from? Me with this last one! Use stories to show what makes your business unique, where your business comes from, and what people and events impacted your business.
3 Stories create an emotional bond
Does every story suffice? No, if only it were that simple. It is important that a story evokes emotions. That is why people reacted so positively to the story that Liesbeth shared about her grandfather's stained glass windows. Her enthusiasm about the find burst from the screen. Dare to dive below the surface in storytelling. There are buried the treasures with which you can touch your reader.
4 Stories give meaning to information
People want to understand things, give meaning to events and know why things happen. Since prehistoric times, people have been developing stories that explained things and gave them meaning. Through storytelling, knowledge was passed on from generation to generation and events were linked.
5 Stories are shared
What happens at the coffee machine on Monday morning? We tell each other stories about what we experienced over the weekend. We not only tell our own stories, but also those of others. “I spoke to someone who drove a motorhome from East to West America. Didn't cost a thing." After which a colleague with great interest asks which company it was through. He sees such a good deal. You can take advantage of that fact for your content. Social media makes it very easy for your followers to share your story. Use it to your advantage!
Storyworthy?
There are several stories that you can share as an entrepreneur. For example, the origin story of your company, your future story, but also stories from employees and satisfied customers. Once you have an eye for it, you will never run out of ideas to use storytelling for your company.
Could you use help with using storytelling in your communication? Feel free to contact me to see if I can help you with that.
Nanneke van Drunen - Nankracht Communication
To work!
These kinds of matters are discussed in detail in the Content coach annual programme. You will also receive help and advice there to optimally use storytelling with content marketing. Curious? Read this
