There are so many ways to tell a story.
A story can be read from the ink-stained pages of a book. It can be orated by a friend, mentor, relative, or peer. It can be performed in song, dance, play, movie, or crowded theater. It can be drawn, crafted, built by hard-working hands. It can fall on deaf ears or be emboldened to persevere throughout generations.
So often in business, a story is viewed as one-dimensional. But your business’s story has many dimensions and can be communicated in several forms.
In content marketing, we emphasize the importance of storytelling in your blog and communicating your story through the content you provide your audience. And while that is an integral component of your business’s story, it is far from the only one.
Today, I want to talk about the comprehensive and transcending nature of your business’s story and the many mediums through which it can and should be communicated to give your audience a complete, vivid picture of who you really are.
The three primary domains that I am going to talk about today are:
- Website
- Social Media
- Office environment
The window to your soul, a good website
I’m sure you have heard the saying that eyes are a window into the soul. They can often give a person away and express the emotion that they may not openly provide. Your website does the same thing for your business.
Your website is the gateway to who you are as a business and in this day and age, it is often the first impression you are able to make. First impressions are important for any business as it gives a glimpse into who you are and what you do. When you provide a positive first experience, people are more likely to want to learn more about you and spend more time on your site.
The first place your business can communicate its story is on your website. Think of your website as a book, in chapters. Each chapter, or section of your site, should communicate unique information while still belonging to the same theme. Your story and values need to be expressed in different yet complementary ways with each page building off the next.
Your story can be communicated through your:
- Color scheme
- Design
- Fonts
- Welcome page
- About me/meet the team
- Core values and services
- Blog
- Overall user experience
Your website should be set up in a way that invites your viewer into the story of your business. The thing is that the story is communicated through the design, the words you choose, the colors you connect, as well as the way you describe yourself, your passions, and how those passions translate to enhanced customer experiences.
Engagement on social media
Your website may be the first way that your customers interact with you but it isn’t the only way. A robust online presence is so important for businesses to not only connect with potential and current clients but also other companies and peers.
Social media is a way for you to engage in an online community that not only promotes and supports your brand but more importantly forges important professional connections. Social media is the perfect medium to host and express your story and that can happen though:
- The type and variety of content you post
- What you say
- How you say it
- Your engagement level with others in your community/field/etc.
Social media is so much more than the number of posts you share, it really is a medium that embodies the expression, you get out of it what you put into it. If you are able to harness social media as an extension of your business, story, and philosophy, you will be able to form more genuine connections with clients and peers both within and outside of your community.
Pass the feeling test, an office environment
The last domain through which your story is irrevocably communicated is in your office setting. What more telling example than the one you set for yourself and your staff each and every day.
- How does your office make your customers feel?
- How does your staff interact with each other, with clients, and with you?
- In what ways does the environment you create continue to tell your story?
A hyper-modern office with huge windows and stainless steel fixtures will tell a different story than a quaint space with a fireplace and inspirational quotes on the wall. It all depends on who you are, the services you provide, and what you want your clients to feel when they interact with you.
Your office environment is an important piece of your story and can set the tone for internal and external relationships so don’t be afraid to put more of yourself into it.
Own your story
At Perfectly Planned Content, we want to give you the tools to own your story. Communicating your story is an integral aspect of developing and sustaining intentional and real relationships. We believe in the power of a story and all of the magic that comes from that vulnerability, honesty, and strength.
Your story starts with you. With authentic content marketing, you will be able to use your story as a vehicle to develop relationships and connect with clients who are aligned with your philosophy.
Remember, stories are communicated in so many different ways. The same can be said for yours. Each facet of your business can be used to tell and share your story with others. Use the resources that you have to craft a compelling, sweeping narrative in each and everything that you do.
Need help getting started? Schedule a time to chat with us! Talk more soon.
