What’s your story?

We all love a good story: something with which we can engage, something that draws us in and resonates with us on some level, conscious or unconscious, right? But what makes a story good? What is it that draws us in, hooks us, makes us keep reading, keep watching or keep listening? Is it the plot? Is it the romance, the drama, the twists and turns?

No. The plot, the romance, the thrills and the twists and turns are the fluff around the edges, the icing on the cake; the thing that keeps us engaged is character – maybe just one character, or maybe several. At the heart of every good story is a character with whom we can connect. Sometimes we connect through empathy, sometimes through disgust, and sometimes we can’t explain why we connected, we just did.

I guarantee that for every story you have ever thought to be good, if I asked you why you would talk about characters in that story. Take movies – we buy because the pitch (the trailer, the blurb, the write-ups) persuades us it’s worth a look. Whether we watch to the end depends on what we find inside. The best car chases, the most spectacular effects, the steamiest romances will only hold our interest so far. We may stay sat down to the end if for no other reason than we bought the ticket so we’ll damn well get our money’s worth, but we’ll only be engaged to the end if we connected with a character in the story.

And the same is true in business: at the heart of every great business is a great story; and while the story may be one of triumph over adversity, or the journey from rags to riches, or of struggle and breakthrough, at it’s heart will be a character with whom we connect. Potential investors will look through the numbers, they’ll assess the product, they’ll review the market; but even if every box is ticked the answer is still in the balance. The same is true of potential clients: the slickest pitch, the most elegant of solutions will not guarantee you the business. Ticking boxes simply gets you through the door.

So what’s your story? However you view yourself, you have a story to tell, trust me, and that story will set you apart from the rest. It doesn’t have to be a blockbuster, it doesn’t have to be exciting, it just has to be true, and it has to be you. What made you who you are? What shaped your thinking? What highs and lows did you experience along the journey? What is your passion? What drives you? What excites you? What disappoints you? What frustrates you? What makes your heart leap?

Learn to open up, learn to connect your product, whatever it is, with your essence. Sure you need the slick pitch and the great message to get you that appointment, but when the powerpoint is done, the video is finished, the demonstration complete, what will answer the question in every potential investor, client or customer’s mind – ‘why should I buy?’.

You. You will answer that question with your story. As people connect your product with you you will answer that question. Not everyone will like your story, but it’s your story so don’t change it to suit your audience. Stay true to your story and you will connect with the right people at the right time. Stay true to your story and you will find clients, customers and investors with whom you will soar because your story captured them.

You are in a story, so shape it, live it and tell it.

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