One thing I believe in, really and truly, is the power of stories. If I have a religion, it’s one of words. No matter what the context or era or medium or place or culture or language, stories are one of the most important and compelling parts of our humanity. Beyond Maslow’s basic hierarchy, what motivates us? Why do we care deeply and fanatically about some companies, while others could cease to exist without it even hitting our radars? It’s the story.

I’ve been AWOL on the blog a bit lately, but I’ve been tucked away planning and thinking and developing some things that you’re going to start seeing in the coming months. We’re marketers first, so there are always tactical and strategic things to consider. But often while everyone is clustered around those things, I find myself trying to figure out what the core of the thing is. Because the core, you see, the core IS the story. You can do all the strategical maneuvering you want, position yourself perfectly, but will anyone care if you aren’t compelling?

Companies who have a story that is an integral part of their identity invite us to be a part of that story with them. Their story and messages push us to identify with them, and by extension, their family of products and services. Without a story, do your customers think of your brand and feel like you really get them and their needs? If you were put in a room with your competitors, do clients see your face in this room of strangers and feel reassured that you’re here to take care of their needs, or are you just another logo? The connection of story, even if it’s your personal experience of the company, is what sets one apart from the others. I realize that sounds harsh, but it’s true.

When I say story, you might be thinking that you don’t have one and are therefore doomed, in accordance with Sara’s Laws of the Universe. You have a story–we all have a story. You just have to figure out what it is that you’re on about, why you’re special. Consider the businesses you return to again and again, the ones that you enjoy doing business with. From there, note the ones you go back to even though they aren’t the cheapest and figure out why you not only don’t mind paying a little more, but you would rather pay more just so that you can shop there or hire them. It’s probably a small thing, but it’s certainly not insignificant.

If you sit down and find out that you’re not special, that you’re indistinguishable from your competition, what can you do to set yourself apart? Do you have great training that simplifies difficult concepts? Are you streamlined and easy to use? Do you have great service? Do you let small businesses do things they didn’t think were possible to handle on their own? Maybe you’re not so mainstream… are you that resource people can direct friends to when they need a specialty item or service? These things are what drive your story. Identify them and why they’re important, consolidate, then go tell people about it.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 12:22 pm and is filed under seo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.