Have you ever left a business networking meeting or meetup completely frustrated by the experience?
You came with high hopes of finding new connections and solving some of the business challenges you face. But after lengthy conversations, you couldn’t repeat back the problem most of them solve. They might have the answer you need, but the way they shared it was so unclear you would never follow up or refer a friend.
The words you choose matter.
When it comes to sharing about your business and how you make the world better, you have a small window of time to be memorable.
- Face-to-face you have 2-4 minutes to make an impression.
- On social media, you have under 60 seconds to grab attention.
- On your website, you have 7-10 seconds to stop them from leaving.
That means you need to be intentional about crafting the right words that will keep someone reading or listening.
It’s not about being manipulative. It’s about sharing in a way that disarms and lets them know you can solve the challenge they face.
The key is to share a story.
Stories help your audience to remember important details. To catalog information in a way they can repeat.
Take a look at Aesop’s Fable about The Hare and the Tortoise.
There are no extraneous details or confusing side stories to distract the audience. It is short. To the point. And, has one key idea.
Here’s a short synopsis
A hare and a tortoise decide to race. The Hare starts fast and expects to win, so he stops to nap. The Tortoise starts slow but continues to make progress, passing the sleeping Hare and winning the race. It wasn’t speed that determined the winner. It was slow and steady that won the race.
This story works because it uses a simple story structure to make it memorable.
Breaking it down, there are 4 story elements to notice:
- It clearly introduces who the story is about – The Hare and the Tortoise
- It identifies the conflict they face – Hare was fast and lazy. Tortoise was slow and methodical
- It states the consequences of their decisions – Hare napped while Tortoise pressed on
- It shares the moral of the story or the action step for us – Slow and steady win the race
Keeping these 4 story elements in mind will help you craft better stories in your business. You can use them to make what you share memorable at your next meetup, in your social posts, or on your website.
Here are a few questions to help you craft a story worth sharing in your business.
- Who (or What) is this story about? [CHARACTER]
- What conflict or challenge do you help solve? [CONFLICT/CHALLENGE]
- What are the consequences of solving or not solving that problem? [CONSEQUENCES]
- What one big idea or action step do you want your audience to walk away with? [BIG IDEA]
Let’s assemble them into a story you can share.
Now that you have the four questions answered, use the following templates and examples to insert your answers and get started.
A template for use on your website might be:
[CHARACTER/BUSINESS NAME]
We help/provide [CHALLENGE YOU SOLVE], so that [CONSEQUENCES].
To [BIG IDEA].
An example for your website would be:
Apricot Mornings, Residential Living
We provide safe, family like, residential care for your loved one. So that you can rest easy at night, free from guilt or fear about whether your loved one is well cared for.
To learn about our unique approach to board and care options, Schedule a Call today.
A template for use on your social media might be:
Summer is the best time to [CONFLICT YOU SOLVE].
Now you can [SOLVE THE CONFLICT] using [CHARACTER]!
Our [CHARACTER] allows you to [CONSEQEUNCES].
Now through July 30, [BUSINESS NAME] is running a [BIG IDEA]
An example for your social media would be:
Summer is the best time of year to spend time in your pool. Unfortunatley, electricity costs make it the most expensive time of year for heating that pool.
Now you can heat your pool ad save money using solar energy!
Our premium thermal solar panels harness the power of the sun and maintain your desired temperature throughout the season. Allowing you to enjoy longer swim season and even more fund with friends and family. All while saving hundreds on electricity costs.
Now through July 30, [BUSINESS NAME] is running a special where you can Buy 9 Panels, Get 1 Panel FREE on any new system install.
Click Here to Schedule a Call with a Consultant
A template for use in person at a meetup might be:
Hi, I’m [CHARACTER].
Have you ever [CHALLENGE YOU SOLVE].
This is a recurring challenge for [WHO YOU SERVE]. [CONSEQEUNCES].
[BIG IDEA].
An example for use in person at a meetup would be:
Hi, I’m Ryan Holck.
Have you ever met a business leader at an event, and after several minutes together you aren’t sure what problem they solve? And the longer they talk, the more confused you are. So you excuse yourself and walk away to find someone whose work and business solutions you can understand.
This is a recurring challenge for business leaders. They have so much knowledge and expertise about the work they do, that explaining it in ways potential customers can understand is a challenge.
I work with businesses and brands to distill down to the heart of the message they need to share. Then work with them to craft clear stories they can share simply with their audience. So that people remember them and take actions that lead to revenue.
Do you know anyone who is struggling to tell a story in their business right now?
Let’s be real, you want your business to grow.
With storytelling, you have the chance to turn the conversations about your business from clumsy to confident. Connecting people to the work you do and guiding them to your solutions..
The only questions are, what stories you will tell and how effective you will be.
Are you struggling to share your business story?
Don’t settle for generic descriptions of your services and offers. Create a compelling story that hooks customers from the start.
Schedule a call to find out how Distill Your Story can help you tell clearer stories.