Why Storytelling Should Start As an Internal Strategy
Look at companies like Krochet Kids and their #knowwhomadeit campaign, or Girl Set Free's #whomademyclothes. Or charity: water’s verifying each well and every cent with photos and GPS and successful photos of locals with clean water. And you can’t help but think: “I want to be apart of THAT story."
The narrative thread of transparency and traceability throughout a brand experience is so refreshing, inspiring, and creates a kind of gravitas which draws others in. Our growing desire for humanly, authentically and transparently sourced goods, services, and information draws us to authenticity, genuineness, and clarity. A depth of transparency clears away the brush to give room for a purpose.
It starts at home: An Internal Strategy
There’s a lot of buzz about story and storytelling in marketing and branding these days. While this purpose-full storytelling is an essential pillar in your outbound messaging, it begins *before* you engage the market. It is first and foremost an internal strategy. An internal strategy of onboarding, which when executed well through passionate storytelling, rich tradition-ing, and shepherding others to do their best work, it naturally saturates every interaction your team then has with your prospects and clients. It is what fosters a sense of ownership among your team.
"While purpose is essential to a strong corporate culture, it is often activated and reinforced through narrative. Individuals must learn to connect their drives to the organization’s purpose and to articulate their story to others."
John Coleman, Harvard Business Review
Having a purpose behind what you do is the foundation to a solid internal culture and an external brand experience which moves customers to becoming raving fans
Having a purpose behind what you do is the foundation to a solid internal culture and an external brand experience which moves customers to becoming raving fans. Having the patience and persistence to lead your team well, indoctrinating them in your purpose is an educational pursuit each leader should take very seriously.
This isn’t a one-time pep talk and a users manual. It’s an over communication of your purpose. Like Jonathan Rosenberg, SVP of Products at Google encourages you to be a broken record in your story-telling and communication within your organization. He reminds us,
“When you think you’ve communicated something too much, you’re probably just beginning to get through.”
When it comes to purpose (and anything worth communicating for that matter), be a broken record.