{"id":383,"date":"2021-08-16T14:49:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T12:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.v-label.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2022-09-15T22:02:41","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T20:02:41","slug":"business-storytelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.v-label.com\/be_fr\/news\/b2b-blog\/business-storytelling\/","title":{"rendered":"Promote your vegan business with 5 pillars of business storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Have you been trying different strategies, but nothing seems to work? There is a way to capture people\u2019s attention and promote your products without using sleazy tactics. In this article, we\u2019ll dive into storytelling as a way of communicating with conscious customers and standing out as a vegan or vegetarian brand that creates content people actually want to see and engage with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s world, customers want high-quality products available nearly 24\/7 that serve a greater good. They also want to be the heroes of those brand stories \u2013 by buying the company\u2019s products, they help solve issues and create a better world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The millennial generation in particular is very conscious about the products they buy, often studying the companies and their values before making a purchase. On social media, they are selective about the content they consume: two-thirds of millennials use ad blockers to reduce the noise in their feeds. Overall, 74% of people find brand content meaningless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can companies satisfy the growing demand for quality products and content while juggling the challenges of running a business? Storytelling is proving to be the solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Why storytelling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we\u00a0hear a story we relate to, our brain releases oxytocin\u00a0(the happiness hormone) and it helps to build a connection through a positive experience. It results in building trust, likeability, and affinity to either a person or a situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Humans are wired to value things as better when they are holistic, wholesome, and symmetric\u2013we\u2019ve been like this for ages. This is why stories that have a beginning, middle, and end \u2013 a structure that is familiar to our brains \u2013 are something we just can\u2019t resist,” <\/em>explains\u00a0Pavla Lokajova<\/a>, an expert on business storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why not use storytelling in business to create this much-needed connection between you and the customer?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What happens when brands embrace storytelling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Storytelling can help turn a brand into a legacy and a voice of change. It creates loyal and invested customers because they begin to root for the heroes of the stories, which can be anyone \u2013 from the founders to the receptionists to the interns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, it increases sales, generates profit, and creates a great place to work, because your people will be proud to tell those stories as well. This will help spread your message as new people become interested in the stories that your company has to tell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The 5 layers of business storytelling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The founder\u2019s story<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These are usually the most captivating and inspirational stories, as we get to learn more about the beginnings of the company, about the idea that led to launching the company, and the challenges that had to be overcome in order to get to where we are today. Beno\u00eet Plisson, Co-Founder of HARi&CO<\/a> struggled with the food selection at his school\u2019s canteen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As a vegan, I wasn\u2019t able to choose a meal that suited my dietary needs. We founded the company in order to bring vegan options to school canteens so other students don\u2019t have to face the same struggles.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As this example from Gimber<\/a> shows, the founder\u2019s story is where it all starts \u2013 and the human aspect adds to the trustworthiness of the brand. Many business owners started their ventures from a personal pain point. You may shy away from telling yours because \u201cit\u2019s the same story.\u201d But it never is! What you perceive as a mundane tale can actually resonate big time with others. Maureen Murdock<\/a>, a respected author in the storytelling world, teaches the importance of challenging the focus on exceptional figures: the heroes, the villains and the whole polarized narrative. \u201cThere is something divinely ordinary about our stories, my story and yours,\u201d <\/em>Murdock writes. So if they told you that being big and bold sells, believe that it might make headlines, but relatability sells every day, long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Founder stories are also interesting for the media and can help your company get mentioned without having to advertise. The media outlet gets an interesting story and your company gets media exposure \u2013 it\u2019s a win-win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The company\u2019s story<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s story may have started with the founder\u2019s story, but as the company grew and people came on board, they added layers to the original story and helped shape the company into what it is today,\u201d Pavla Lokajova elaborates on key pillars of business storytelling.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Just as in the following example of Nu Company<\/a>, the company story communicates the values, the mission, and their reason for existence. It also encompasses the stories of people behind the brand, the company culture \u2013 which can attract future employees that are a good fit. People love to peek behind the curtain, so give them some food for thought to satisfy their curiosity. Forget B2B or B2C communication styles with strict rules \u2013 it\u2019s about H2H \u2013 human-to-human communication that\u2019s based on authenticity and familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Most of the companies already tell their story in their \u201cAbout us\u201d website section, and it can have many shapes and forms. What are some of the effective ways to tell your company\u2019s story? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n