Business Storytelling Tips

There’s a great scene in the television series “Mad Men” where the good people at the Sterling Cooper ad agency are trying to find something unique about a brand of cigarettes. After butting his head against the wall, the charismatic Don Draper asks a question and learns the tobacco is toasted.

That’s it, he says. It’s toasted.

The cigarette people aren’t impressed with the revelation. They tell Don that every cigarette company toasts their tobacco. It’s no big deal.

Yes, he says. Everyone may be doing it, but you’re going to tell them you’re doing it.

That’s the key to effective business storytelling and brand development. You must find something that’s unique – something that may be so obvious that you can’t see it. It’s the old “can’t tell the forest from the trees” thing.

Your story – and the story of your business — is important. It belongs to you, and it is unique, regardless of how mundane you feel it may be. So, you need to get it told properly and delivered to the correct audience. That’s where PR for small businesses and professional interview techniques come in.

An experienced interviewer can talk to you about your story – or the story of your company – and ask you questions that will reveal interesting things you may have never considered.

This is true whether you run a roofing company or an accounting firm or a dental office or a country club. There are certain things that only you offer – and you’ve got to find them and get them told as part of your story.

·         If you’re a roofer, do you use a special type of shingle that no one else uses?

·         If you’re an accountant, have you attained a special training that sets you apart from the others?

·         If you’re a dentist, have you recently completed your 1,000th cleaning?

·         If you’re a country club, does your golf professional hold an elite status?

There are unique things about every business and every individual. All it takes is a conversation to draw them out. You may be more interesting than you ever thought you were!

I once had a chance to interview an old baseball player named Jim Greengrass, who had a short career in the major leagues in the late 50s. His career average was only about .268, but while speaking to Jim about his career, he casually mentioned that held a major league record for the most doubles in a game. Professional baseball has been around for more than 100 years, so this got my attention. I checked it out and Jim was one of a handful of people who had four doubles in one game. And his feat came on Opening Day.

That tidbit of information turned an average story into an interesting piece that earned a lot of attention. Not many people knew this unassuming guy, who was working in the county courthouse, played in the major leagues – much less had four doubles in one game.

It was a toasted tobacco moment.

What’s your story? Our trained staff at Awtrey Media Group can help you tell the world about your hidden talent. Give us a call and let’s see what you’ve got and how we can help you spread the word. Call 770.728.8870 or email info@awtreymedia.com.