Why Is Storytelling For Your Business Important?
As early as you can remember, stories have most likely been part of your life. As a child, stories are read to you and told to you. You begin reading stories on your own, sharing, and eventually storytelling. They are a part of our lives that are enjoyed and a great way to communicate with others.
If you have ever listened to the many Steve Jobs’ speeches online, you will agree that he was a master storyteller. His Commencement Speech given to the 2005 graduating class at Stanford is as powerful today as the day it was delivered. In the business sector, his real gift was his ability to connect his consumers to his products through stories. His stories helped motivate, and entertain customers and clients alike. It was perhaps his storytelling prowess that made him sell the then launched iPod and make it a success for many years to come.
Here is the thing – any business venture, even yours, will succeed only when it is able to connect to the general mass. The fastest way to widely share your story, what motivates you and, how you serve your clients is a podcast.
Storytelling is the most powerful tool for businesses. With shows like TedX, it becomes even more evident. People tend to connect themselves with different storylines. As a matter of fact, stories that make people think are the most powerful marketing tool.
Stories make people think
When Steve Jobs was telling the audience about iPods, he focused on the experience users would enjoy. I bet most of them could imagine the sound of their favorite song in the earbuds. When the iPods finally arrived, people felt that their dream came true. If Jobs had described it as some high-end tech marvel, instead of the high touch, entertaining, fun, music listening device it wouldn’t have created the same buzz.
Stories always appeal to us and their power is unparalleled. Stories make people ponder over their surroundings and make them dream of the future.
Podcasts, when done well, transport you where that story is taking place. Maybe it is a sports event, a business strategy, or the murky details of an unsolved mystery? Podcasts welcome you to the personal screening room in your mind. That personal screening room is where you see the people, places, and the examples they share. This is the theater of the mind, where your story is vivid to listeners but not specific to the hero of the story. With this shift in perception, that hero now looks like, acts like, and imitates the listener making certain that they can see how THEY have saved the day.
Stories attract people
When you see a particular title advertisement, you are more attracted to the one with a good story. If a ten-second video can compel you to buy a product, just imagine the power of a ten-minute story. People, your customers, clients themselves have stories to tell about your brand, about how you helped them be a hero and solve a problem.
Just as your current clients have stories, your future clients will have their own stories as well and when a future client learns how you helped your current client be the hero, they will undoubtedly be attracted to your brand to do the same thing with them.
Stories make history
Businesses around the world recognize how vital good storytelling is. Look into the ‘about us’ section of any establishment, it is there that you will find the mention of their struggles, methodology, and achievements. For podovox, the one thing we do better than any other organization out there is to help business owners create and deliver an effective podcast consistently so it attracts new clients while also deepening the relationships you have with current clients.
How did we figure that out?
Tragedy.
In 2002 our infant daughter died. Grief is powerful and in 2006 my wife and I were not satisfied with all the standard answers people give to someone who loses a child. Out of that frustration, we hosted a podcast that was seeking, truthful, intense, reflective, vulnerable, and direct. In that podcast, we found a community of people asking the same questions. Some were further along on their journey, some just starting out but my wife and I still count many of these people among our friends today.
We make it easy to start a podcast for your business
Not every story is about life and death. Not every podcast is about movies, geek culture, sports, or business.
Start telling the story that has built your business. In doing so, you will tell the story of your clients. In telling their story, you will attract new clients with similar needs.
Podcasting allows you to be found and engage your audience 24/7/365. A podcast gives you permission to speak the truth and unlock mysteries. With a podcast, you can introduce yourself and gently share your expertise with many people on a one to one basis. As the number of episodes you produce grows and is promoted the number of listeners will grow.
Have you thought about starting a podcast yet? Contact Podovox and let us show you how a podcast can help grow your business.
