What's your story, anyway?

For generation upon generation, the power of storytelling has been essential to how we communicate, how we pass along information, how we entertain, inform and record history.

It's also a key branding tool that many businesses overlook. In an age when everybody's got something to sell, harnessing the power of story can make all the difference in your marketing efforts. Stories aren't new to marketing. We've been telling them for years in many different ways. But today, stories spread more easily, more quickly and further than ever before.

No matter what business you're in, storytelling is affecting your brand. What we often call "word of mouth" is simply the passing on of stories about our business, usually stories that we did not intentionally craft and send out into the world. We can't control how, where and when word-of-mouth about our businesses will spread, but we can control which stories we tell and which ones play out every day in our workplaces, field sites and storefronts. And we can control the alignment between the two. We get to choose how we use the power of story to communicate what we're all about.

Where do you find a good story? Consider your company's history, founders, mission and growth. What's there? Listen to customer feedback about how they've been served or impacted by their experiences with your business. Mine your successes. Ask your staff for their stories. I guarantee you, they've got ‘em.

Once you've got a few ideas (and your new story-hunting mindset), consider what makes a good story.

Is it remarkable? Think about TOMS Shoes. Founded with the idea that for every pair of shoes sold, the company would give one pair of shoes to a child in need. Their story, One to One, is that this is not just a company, it's a movement aimed at using the buying power of individuals who can afford well made shoes to create positive change in places where people cannot. No ordinary shoes here.

Does it feel real? A good story is authentic. If your customer can't believe the basis of the story, it's going to do more harm than good. Take for example, All Star Incentive Marketing. A small family business that has grown into an industry leader, All Star's staff and clients eagerly tell stories of a company that feels like a family and pulls together to get the job done. Walking their talk makes them credible on issues like building employee engagement.

What's the point? The story makes a clear connection to your brand promise and your customers. One of my favorite examples of this was shared with me a few years ago by a colleague. A dedicated FedEx employee, during a snowstorm that had closed roads, used skis to retrieve a package and get it moving to its destination. The truth is, I don't know whether this really happened, though it is believable. Would you trust that man with your deliveries? Absolutely.

It is simple enough to repeat? Boil it down to the essentials. Nobody needs to know all the gritty details. What's essential? A situation, a resolution, an engaging narrative, visual images and people your customers or clients will relate to. Could you tell this story at a cocktail party or a board meeting? Would a customer remember it? If not, simplify until you can answer yes.

What stories are you telling in your business?