In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- How storytelling helps organizations navigate change
- Vulnerability’s place in business
- Why tone is more important than content
Story Is Strategy
Companies’ messages get lost in the abundance of new media vying for customer attention. Jordan has found that organizations that tell strong stories about who they are and what they believe are more successful in reaching their target audience.
Crystal Clear Language
The key to telling a story about your business is to tell it as straightforwardly as possible. Don’t just tell a great story to customers. Make sure you inspire employees as well.
“If the story isn’t crystal clear, then that content . . . is going to fall flat.”
When creating a story that resonates, Jordan recommends that businesses focus primarily on the crafting process, then the execution.
Once a story strategy has been crafted, Jordan asks:
- Who is my audience?
- What medium is best for my message and audience?
Tone Matters
Jordan says today the tone of a story is more important than its content. Tone generates emotion which motivates customers to act.
Determining what tone your audience connects with is paramount. Tone should always match your target audience. Jordan predicts that companies with tones that seem genuine and human-sounding will achieve greater success in the long-run.
“My hunch is as we get . . . more spam, more targeted emails written by robots, more automations, we’re going to continue gravitating to tones that feel like somebody cares about you.”
Reflection Is Essential
Creating a story that communicates your company’s vision requires a lot of emotional work, Jordan says. Business leaders need to be able to access their heart in order to tell a story that will touch others.
He recommends taking 20 minutes a day to reflect and ask yourself who you are, what you believe and where you’re going.
For Jordan, it all comes down to trust. Good stories create connections and build trust.
“We all have to find these new ways to negotiate and to build trust and credibility.”
Bottom line: Humility and vulnerability can help your customers trust you.
