Get Your Startup From Storytelling To Storydoing

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Are you looking for an efficient way to brand your company? Storydoing will help you keep your customers coming back to you. In the end, everyone likes a good story!

You have probably heard all about storytelling by now. Stories are being used by (small) businesses to communicate their traditions, values and culture strategically to their (future) customers. The reason companies use storytelling for this purpose is that it creates more involvement than just explaining different aspects in an abstract way. If you tell a story, especially a good one, your target audience is much more willing to actually listen to you while they do not have the feeling you want to sell them your product. Stories are remembered and create identity – so why not take it to the next level? The next level in this case is storydoing. You have not heard about it yet? Let me introduce it to you.

As Marc Andreessen (co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation) once said “A company without a story is a company without a strategy.”

But since all businesses, startups in particular, have a history of how they developed, they also have a story to tell. That includes your startup as well. But why do you even need a story to tell or do? It is that simple: A company or a product without a story is almost useless to customers because it has no meaning to them. In fact your target audience actually wants to hear the story behind your company and its services. Telling them about it is one thing but since actions speak louder than words you should definitely show your customers your story.

What is Story-doing?

How can you show them when you have already told them? Storydoing is all about living your story. By living your story clients will gain trust in you and thus in your company and products.
Storydoing can be understood as a kind of metastory – a story that is told through action instead of words. Every person is a storydoer by birth: We want to tell the world who we are through the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the products we buy and – of course – the things we do. People brand themselves with these actions just like you brand and hence tell the story of your company through your actions.
Storydoing will show your target audience that the words you speak are not empty, they will learn that you stand behind what you do and take it seriously. This way people will adopt the way you look at and interact with your business because you give them a strong reason to do so. And who could do that better than you?

Why and how to use it for your startup?

Storytelling is linked with paid advertising: TV-spots, print ads, banners. These methods still work but brands continue to multiply and the price for advertising remains high which makes it difficult to approach customers effectively and simultaneously create a meaning for them. Storydoing on the other hand takes advantage of metastories and can engage audiences and make your brand’s impression lasting. The best thing about engaging your audience? If they like it, they will pass it on: To their family, friends and possible future customers.
90% of people trust a friend’s opinion or recommendation, 75% anonymous reviews on the internet while only 50% trust advertising. These percentages suggest that you should focus on building trust and create buzz within your group of customers. You can accomplish this with applying your conviction to your actions.

How are storydoers structured? They put their story in the focus of their company and connect it with their services and products. Storydoers define their ambition which comes through in everything they do. In the best case this ambition or story is something that inspires people to join and bond with you hence your company. So, how can Storydoers be defined?

  • They have a story which is about a larger ambition and has an additional value for people
  • That story is being used to drive specific actions throughout the company and
  • These actions add back up to cohere
  • Customers are motivated to engage with the story and will use it to advance their own

Keep in mind that your actions and stories have to be consistent. If you are telling one story and doing another customers will become aware of it and turn away eventually. Consistency can help others to advance their personal story so they will be more likely to adapt your story into their mindset and become loyal customers.

Do not just tell your story. Live it.

 

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