Every organization has a story to tell. Maybe the founder was downsized from a previous job and started a new company in a basement, was on maternity leave and created the next big “must have” product for caring for an infant, or was simply at the right place at the right time. Even if your organization doesn’t have a big bang behind it, keeping it fresh, timely and of interest to readers/viewers takes a bit of finesse.
Sandra Stewart, a principle at Thinkshift Communications, posted an article with an infographic on Regan.com this week outlining the five essential ingredients to telling a compelling company story, including:
1. Inspiration
What sparked the business’s founding? Who was involved, and what motivated them? What problem were they trying to solve? What was their vision and mission?
2. Challenges
What challenges did the founders and their team face in building the business? (The challenges could be internal, external, micro or macro.) What did they do to overcome them?
3. Claims to fame
What makes your company stand out? What’s your company’s most remarkable asset? (It could be pioneering thinking, a new way of doing business, a new technology, a new product or service, a commitment to achieving specific social or environmental benefits—whatever defines your company’s core values.)
4. Accomplishments
Where is your company now? What has it achieved? In what work is your company actively engaged? What is your company’s impact? To what extent has the company addressed the inspirational problem?
5. Vision
What’s next? What’s the big thing your company is shooting for? What keeps people involved in the business?
The next time you are brainstorming with a client about possible stories to tell, think about reviewing these five elements. The ideas and back stories that come out just might surprise you.
A version of this article originally appeared on Marketing Profs.
