Humans crave connections in every facet of their lives. For business owners, a powerful and well-crafted story is the best way to forge those connections and make sure your brand resonates with your target audience.
“People buy from people,” said Felicia Sinusas, Associate Director of Publicity at Harvard Business Review Press and a judge for the 2024 CO— 100: America’s Top 100 Small Businesses. “Businesses need to realize that their story will help establish trust and connection with their current and potential customers.”
Here’s how to create and share a compelling small business story to help your brand stand out.
[Read more: How to Use Storytelling as a Leadership Tool]
5 elements of a great business story
Sinusas cautioned entrepreneurs against thinking a fantastic product or service alone will be enough to draw in customers.
“There may be lesser products or services out there, but if a competitor offers more compelling reasons for customers to buy from them, they might gain the sale,” she said.
To that end, here are five critical components Sinusas recommends including when developing and framing your business story:
- The highs and lows of your journey. Success isn’t linear, and your business story should reflect that. Sinusas suggests adding some “drama” to your story by talking about things like near misses and amazing wins.
- Mistakes you’ve made. Talk about when your business made a wrong turn and had to go back to the drawing board for a better idea. Be vulnerable about the mistakes you've made in your entrepreneurial journey, because it “communicates a lot about you as a person if you’re humble enough to admit you’re not perfect,” said Sinusas.
- Insights you’ve gained. Incorporate discoveries you’ve made as a business owner that others might find interesting or surprising. For instance, you could talk about how a product you designed for a specific demographic sold better with a different one.
- A point of connection with your intended audience. Keep your audience in mind when determining the tone of your story and the details you want to include. “You would talk differently to a baseball fan than someone who loves attending concerts,” Sinusas said. “What can you add in that would help you connect with them?”
- The thing that makes you unique. Identify exactly what makes your business different from competitors. As Sinusas noted, “There are probably similar companies out there, but there’s only one you.”
[Read more: Simple Ways to Build Buzz Around Your Small Business]
Consider some of your core values and have supporting anecdotes that show those off.
Felicia Sinusas, Associate Director of Publicity at Harvard Business Review Press
Tips for telling your small business story
Here’s how Sinusas recommends sharing your small business story.
Find the best channels and formats for sharing your story
There aren’t right and wrong channels for sharing your business story; however, there are “best” channels. For example, Sinusas said the best channel for an interior decorating company would be a visual one where they can share photos of their work. However, that “best” channel and format wouldn’t make sense for someone with a small consulting business.
Once you commit to a channel, it’s important to see it through and not give up immediately.
“That may seem challenging in the beginning, but finding a rhythm you feel comfortable with can lead to success as well as deeper insights,” Sinusas said.
Consider the context
Even if you have a great core story, it’s important to consider the situation and context you’re in when telling it. Sinusas noted that you’ll need to understand when to be brief for someone who may be rushed and when to take your time when you have someone’s full attention.
“Sometimes, it’s helpful to have colleagues or family members give you pop quizzes where they pretend to be different customers and you have to respond on the spot,” she added.
Share anecdotes that show who you are
Offer a glimpse into not only who you are as a small business owner but as a person.
“Consider some of your core values and have supporting anecdotes that show those off,” Sinusas suggested. “The best thing is making your story compelling.”
Tell your story as often as you can
Commit to taking every opportunity to tell your story in different mediums and formats, from reaching out to a local newspaper to talking directly with current customers.
“Tell it again, and again, and again in different ways,” Sinusas said. “This could mean referencing your core story as you talk about particular products or services and saying, ‘This is why we do what we do.’”
[Read more: How to Give a Killer Business Presentation]
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