The art of storytelling is as old as time. From the oral tradition to hieroglyphics to the advent of the printing press to the internet and social media, humans have used whatever tools are available to tell and share stories. From tales of “the one who got away” to the description of how a moisturizer feels on one’s skin in an advertisement, words evoke specific human reactions. Stories can be entertaining, educational and persuasive. But regardless of their intended purpose, they take you on a journey.
Your Story Matters
A good story produces an emotional response. This could be laughter, joy, sadness, empathy or even fear (if you’re a fan of the horror genre). While people think of stories from books or movies and TV, good storytelling is actually everywhere.
Many of our favourite television commercials tell a story and that is why we care enough to remember them. This is how many brands establish their voice.
If you’re a new business, or one that is looking to rebrand or introduce your business to a new audience, your story matters.
The story of your business – who you are, why you do what you do and what you stand for – allows people to care about you on a deeper level. Your story makes you stand out – it makes you unique from your competitors. What drives you? Who are you and why should people care? What do you do for your community?
The Power of the Storyteller
The storyteller’s role is important. You might have a great story but you don’t know how to tell it yourself. As a professional writer, I am a storyteller. And while I find it hard to write about myself, I do love sharing other people’s stories.
Recently, through my volunteer work with the Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee, I started interviewing key players in the run over the years and writing blogs about them. During an hour long Zoom call they would tell me stories of their involvement over the years – fascinating stuff – and I have the difficult job to taking everything they said and condensing it into a 350-500 word blog post.
A gifted storyteller has the ability to listen to a story and find the story within the story – the hook; the “aha” moment. It’s not an easy thing to do.
When I was in university, I would highlight my text books as a I read. After a while I started noticing that I was highlighting way too much – full pages smeared in neon yellow or pink. Highlighting becomes a useless practice when you think everything is important. When everything is important, nothing is important. It’s not that the story, or the textbook, in its entirety isn’t valuable, it’s that it’s not compelling. The compelling part of the story is the one that needs to be highlighted, as that’s where people get interested. Overtime, I learned to put the highlighter down and look for “aha” moment.
This is why it’s hard to tell your own story. You either think your story is boring and therefore nothing is valuable, or you think it’s all important and the core message gets lost in the weeds.
Sometimes all it takes is an outsider to show you where your core message lies. Professional writers are often critical thinkers, inquisitive readers and creative problem solvers. We can ask the right questions – “Why are you passionate about real estate?” “What does this family business mean to you?” “How did you get into fashion?” “Where do you hope to take this in the future?” Your answers to these questions reveal more about your story than you might realize.
Let me be Your Scribe, Biographer and Storyteller
Marketing works when it’s authentic. When the messaging you put out there aligns with who you are as a person or as a company, people will be more likely to believe and support you.
I can help you tell the story of your business or brand by writing personalized copy for your website, professional blogs on topics that reflect your core business and values and articles that represent what you offer and sell, without the generic advertisement language that can come across as pushy and inauthentic.
Reach out and let me show you how amazing your story is.
Allison Webster 