Someone asked me this week about the case for reading fiction (as opposed to science, politics, more weighty genres), and my answer is always the same: stories are how we fuel our ability to make change. And it doesn’t really matter if you’re reading something that’s true in the sense of having happened to real people, or true in the sense that it’s exploring some shared perception or imaginary idea—it’s the practice of envisioning something other than what is that’s important.
This seems like a weird start to a business blog, right? Well, maybe not if we take a moment to reflect on how story operates within the framework of our business development.
In this current moment, your future customer is not yet connected with you. Your next project partner doesn’t have a signed contract or detailed plan. You haven’t yet earned the vote of confidence you’ll need to take that next big step. Your business is whatever it is right now, and not where you hope it will be in four years.
It’s our ability to tell a convincing story about what our work could be that lands us that next step: we have to help our next client, partner, or investor envision a world different from the one we’re in, and then convince them that the difference is worth the risk of signing on. You must communicate your value to your stakeholders, and a catchy and repeatable tagline will help you spread it—but both those elements are rooted in your larger story about who you are as a business entity, and what you hope to change about the world we’re in.
When our stories are fractured or unfocused, that value doesn’t come through clearly—and the loud competitor that’s beating the same repetitive drum is likely to make a bigger impression and snag that vote of confidence away from us. And if there isn’t one big loud voice in the mix, our audiences might feel overwhelmed with undiscriminated choices that all seem equally disconnected from their values. Finding your drum and anchoring your message in a clear, concise, and consistent beat is how you’ll build your best future. If you can hook your audience with a refrain that resonates, you can start to convince them your story offers the best ending.
Something Polished 