Is Your Firm Telling a Meaningful Story?

Article-34-Storytelling-for-Business

Please Note: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you will not pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission, which supports our ongoing work at the Practice of Architecture. For more information see our full affiliate disclosure here. Thank you for your ongoing support.

SHARE

In my experience serving as a client representative, I have found that architects and interior designers are generally horrible storytellers when it comes to selling their services. In school, studio critiques that us that our work is supposed to speak fr itself but we often find ourselves ferociously defending our vision.

Professionally, the success of our projects is often measured by the number of design award they win. As a result, design interviews are filled with slideshows that are 90 percent focused on professionally photographed projects. While it is necessary to showcase past work as validation of a firm’s design and delivery capability, what really wins over the owners and makes an impact is great storytelling.

Using storytelling for your business is more effective than listing facts and outcomes. Stories grab a potential client’s attention while ensuring you and your firm remain memorable. Leveraged correctly, they can shift the attitude in a room and change any preconceptions about your work. There is a reason why the art of storytelling has become a trending topic in business and why visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest play such important roles in companies’ social media strategies. It i also why video marketing is the latest thing, and why content marketing firm Outbrain reports that in 2018, 89 percent of B2B markets will be using videos.

Crafting an engaging story is a strategic undertaking, but a good story can go a long way and be used repeatedly. When creating the narrative be sure to lay the proper foundation, ensuring that the story makes sense to the audience that you trying to reach, and keeps them hooked long enough to have them Googling your firm and looking you up no LinkedIn.

Consider the following:

1. Why is the story being told? What do you ultimately want to accomplish from the telling of the story?

2. Set the stage. Who are the players? Are each of them important to the overall storyline? When and where is the story taking place, and does the outcome support what you are ultimately trying to accomplish? Also remember that the story does not have to be about you; it can be about things that move and inspire you.

3. What is the arc of the story? Unforgettable stories tend to have challenges that are faced and overcome. Create an emotional connection with your audience by revealing the underlying characteristics and culture of your business.

4. Consistency is key across all communication channels. The business of storytelling doesn’t happen overnight. Practice makes perfect, and knowing the story backwards and forwards will ensure that the story comes across naturally when it is presented.

5. Engage your customers. Come up with ways to get your audience involved to create stronger emotional ties that are both memorable and shareable.

Finally, make sure that your story is authentic. It does not have to be over-the-top or earth-shattering. Transparency provides a unique voice that is individually yours or your firms, and it prevents us from relying on our design awards.

Why are stories so successful? While facts tend to speak to the logistical part of the brain – informally known as the language-processing zone – stories tend to speak to the heart, a zone that triggers seven areas in the brain at once and works 60,000 times faster than the language processing center. Whether your audience tends to be left or right brained, stories are scientifically proven to engage the brain in a way that is more memorable than facts and figures. It’s okay to mix facts and figures into a presentation, but remember how much more impactful a story can be in persuading your audience.

POA Newsletter

Enjoy what you are reading? Never miss an article. Receive weekly tips and tricks on building agility in your career and firm.