“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” -Simon Sinek
How does a business stand out in a landscape filled with competition? Even a product as unique as Apple must consider its competition. The only way to engage your buyers is to tell a story. Not the usual “history of Company A” with dry facts about your brand or statistics, but by using the power of business storytelling that compels and empowers your audience.
Using Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” as your framework you can begin to tell an engaging story to attract, engage and delight your readers and turn them into buyers. Begin with the inside out method. The Golden Circle has the “why” as the center of your story because this is the part that truly makes a connection. The why of your story is the emotional center. The second circle encompasses the ‘how”. How will this help? How can you solve a conflict that your buyer is experiencing (which can be anything from a real conflict to want or a need)? The final circle is “what” you offer to resolve the problem/conflict/need.
Every good story has three essential elements: the main character, a conflict, and a resolution.
In order to tell a compelling story, you must create a narrative in which the audience sees themselves as the main character. Do you know who you are trying to attract? How do you build the main character out of a reader you have never met? This is where building your buyer persona comes in. It’s the avatar of the customer you are trying to attract. Who do you want to sell to? Hubspot has a “Make My Persona” tool to help you create the main character you are telling your story around. Knowing who your customers are, you are more likely to be able to speak directly to them while telling a story– whether it’s your brand’s mission statement, the genesis story of your company or a blog about how to solve a problem.
Know the “why” of business storytelling.
The “why” of your golden circle in your storytelling is the main character– your audience, that persona you are now speaking to. They are why you do what you do. Wrapping your company’s mission around the needs of this persona is the “why”. For example, “Greenhouse grows your brand’s story by attracting, nurturing, and igniting your customer’s experience from awareness to evangelist.” This mission statement wraps around the “you” so you are speaking directly to your audience letting them know you are part of their team.
Explain “how” your brand can help solve the conflict.
The conflict is another essential element in your story. Just like any great storytelling, this is the part when your audience encounters a predicament. It could be anything from budget challenges to inconveniences or confusion. A “conflict” or question such as “is it better to move right now or update my existing space”, “how does my company save money on heating and cooling costs” or “how do I specify the best products for a project” are all questions or conflicts that your customers may need a resolution to.
With a little detective work you can discover what questions your potential customers are searching online. Keyword research tools, such as Semrush, helps to not only find out what questions your potential customers are asking, but also what keywords to use when telling your story. It’s always important to keep who you are trying to reach in mind and what questions or conflicts they have.
Offer the “what” you can do to help.
This is the end of the story when the hero comes in to save the day! That hero is your company offering solutions and answers. For instance, Saniflo SFA is a company that manufactures above-floor plumbing. Their blogs and case studies are filled with customers who want to add plumbing where it is not feasible to do so. In comes their products to save the day!
Using the storytelling method to keep things interesting and informative you can begin to tell the story of your company that resonates with your potential customers.
If you need help with your brand’s storytelling or need a team of creative thinkers to tell it for you, contact the GreenHouse team today to book a discovery call!