Heroes and Villains: Inspirational Storytelling to Build Communities and Brands
Aug 31st, 2009 by David Svet
What’s on your birthday list? What do you really need? If you are anything like me, the answer is, not much, which probably explains my necktie collection. Like most Americans, I don’t really want for very much on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. My needs, or our needs, are becoming more immaterial each day. Now our needs are emotional and experiential. This is a trend that is being accelerated by the current economic downturn. The result is we are more interested in and affected by stories than material goods.
That’s bad news for manufacturers, but really good news for marketers. We want to hear great stories, live exciting adventures, and be a part of dynamic legends. Don’t get me wrong. Objects are nice. But objects with an engaging story that gets you in the gut are great. Organizations are fine. But organizations that are champions doing battle gloriously defeating a dreaded monster are awesome. Stuff is okay, but what we really crave is a good story. Groucho Marx was right. I don’t want to belong to an organization that will have me, I aspire to a spectacular cadre of the elite!
So, in the harsh light of day, the difference between two similar organizations or products now comes down to their stories — heroes and villains, adversaries and benefactors.
But if you tell your story with mission statements, core philosophies, and strategic directives, then you are probably missing the great opportunity to fulfill your true destiny. You may also be having your very soul sucked out of you by that necktie that you got for your last birthday, but that’s another story.
Your story, like most, has a beginning, middle and an end. There are characters, there’s a plot, and there’s the conflict of chaos over harmony as you try to reach your goal. Just like your business plan. What!?! Yes, just like your business plan.
If you want to craft a compelling story to build you organization, community, or brand, then rewrite your business plan as a story — a fairy tale, an adventure story, or maybe a fable. For help with the structure take a look at the website of venture capitalists, Sequoia Capital. They see a lot of business plans and hear a lot of stories. There website has a beautiful distillation of what should be in a business plan in order to tell them your story in 15-20 slides.
Looking at it in the context of writing a story instead of a business plan looks something like this:
- Company Purpose: Your once upon a time statement. Think of the opening text graphics in Star Wars.
- Problem: Describe the pain that your victim is living with and how they deal with it today. Who or what is the adversary — the dark evil to be conquered? Is it starving children in Somalia? Is it the inability to save for retirement?
- Solution: What is your value proposition? What will your hero do to win the day? How?
- Why Now: What chain of events got us to this point? What will enable you to be victorious now that didn’t exist before?
- Market Size: Whom will you save? How big is the kingdom?
- Competition: Who else is trying to save the kingdom? Is there an evil prince?
- Product: What will you use to save the day? How is it developed? How will it evolve? Have you developed a silver bullet?
- Business Model: What are the details of the story? Describe the plot.
- Team: Who is the hero, the loyal knight, the genius scientist?
- Financials: Who is the benevolent benefactor? What treasure is stored up as a reward? What riches will come to those who follow you?
Give it a shot. Make 15-20 slides and retell your business plan as a story. It will give you a new frame of reference for your work. Embrace storytelling as a way to talk about your organization and you can rise above the competition reaching your full potential. It will make it more fun for your employees to understand what you do. It will inspire you to be bolder with your marketing and sales efforts. It may even get you to toss out a couple of those birthday neckties — or use them as headbands.
Fantastic!
I’ve worked with a handful of companies who were scared to add “voice” to their communications, leaning instead toward a stoic, traditional and ultimately dry message. This, I think, identifies the perfect sweet spot between the two.
Thanks, Dave!
Oh yes. Fear of diminishing professional demeanor is a killer. Even if an exercise like this were done in private as a way to re-explore an organization’s mission, they would come out with a new view of themselves. It probably won’t be ready to take to market, but it’s a much better place to start finding a point of differentiation.
Thanks Janette!
David
What a wonderful way to change one’s perspective. The power of story to focus on what really matters and communicate that message is tremendous.
Thanks for another great post. Can’t wait to try this with my own business plan!
Yes! You nailed it Nancy. It’s a way to change your perspective. Even if you don’t end up with a tidy story in the end, the process of looking through another lens will help you to see your business in a new light.
Thanks!
David
[...] Svet has written a brilliant article on his blog how you can write a compelling business plan that people want to read and will be able [...]