Business Story Telling

As a freelance copywriter, I like to meet my clients in person. My aim is to gain a deeper understanding of their business values and to uncover the story behind their service. Why is this important for creating web page content?

Barry Scott or Levi Roots – Who would you, buy from?

Marketing used to be about your products. Maximise exposure, blast the message out across the media and come up with a catchy tune that no one could get out of their head.

Let’s call this the Barry Scott approach. It’s loud, in your face and quite frankly annoying. Cillit Bang – ‘BANG and the dirt is gone’. Whilst I remember the slogan and can picture the bright purple bottle, I have no intention of making a purchase.

Marketing is now about connecting with your customers, providing what they want and telling your story and engaging on a more personal level. It’s a shopping experience.

Let’s call this the Levi Roots approach. Levi is one of the Dragon’s Den success stories. Peter Jones didn’t invest in the bottles of sauce; he invested in Levi’s story and his personality because he knew this was what consumers want. In Levi, we gain the tale of bottling his grandma’s secret recipe, the colours and flavours of the Caribbean and a twist of Reggae music – ‘Put some music in your food’. It’s a tempting combination.

Standing out from the Competition

The internet has transformed marketing. No matter what products or services you offer, the competition is only a click away. What differentiates you from everyone else with an identical menu of services or product range is your story and your reputation.

A business story doesn’t need to be highly emotive or personal, but take a moment to think back. Why did you set the business up in the first place?

There must have been a reason to step off the ‘safe’ path, to move away from someone employing you, sorting out your tax, contributing towards your pension and paying a steady salary. Were you:

• Able to spot a gap in the market?
• Full of spark and read to break free from restrictions?
• Desperate for a better work/life balance?
• Willing to put out all the stops and reap the rewards?

There may be many other reasons why being your own boss was appealing and this is the start of your story.

Underpinning Business Values

Was your business formed through the development of a new product or did you see an opportunity to enhance the customer experience?

When you set up a company, you can’t simply copy another business and hope to win customers. There has to be a plan of how you can offer something that the competitors aren’t. This typically feeds into your company values. Did you intend to:

• Reduce environmental impact?
• Focus on exceptional customer service?
• Approach business with a modern, dynamic twist?
• Reach out to an untapped niche market?

Do your initial values and aims still hold true, or has focused evolved as the company has grown? It would be interesting to find out if your employees have a clear idea of your company values.

Write an About Us Page

I still see websites without an ‘About Us’ page, along with plenty of ‘About Us’ pages which actually tell you nothing about the team, their expertise or the values of the company. This is a missed opportunity. Whilst your values should be communicated across your website, it really is important to write an About Us page that differentiates your company from the competition.

In Summary

Tell your story. It helps people to identify with your brand. It helps your company to become familiar, approachable and personable. Even if you never meet your customers in person, it offers a means of building trust and rapport. It will entice people to call, complete an enquiry form, visit your premises and buy – surely that’s what every business wants.