Storytelling: explaining your passion

As business owners, we have a great deal of passion surrounding what we do. But often, it’s difficult for that same passionate owner to tell their story to customers or employees. We are too close to our own businesses that we can’t see it from an outsider’s perspective. We can’t read the label on the jar we’re in. Instead, we reduce our message to what we do. “I sell insurance.” “I’m a consultant.” Rather than telling people why we do what we do.

If I tell you I’m a “branding expert,” well…that’s not so interesting. If instead, I tell you, “I love helping businesses discover why they truly exist and why it truly matters.” That’s a much more interesting statement. It’s still very true and in fact, it’s more descriptive than “branding expert”.

This is different from telling someone you’re a “sales ninja” or a “change agent”. No one knows what that means. Those types of descriptors may sound less boring but they don’t do a better job of telling people what you do.

It feels safe to copy—to mimic. But looking and sounding like everyone else is exhausting and no one’s impressed by the replica. The good news is you’re far better off playing your own character than being a rerun.

The next time you are asked, “what do you do?” try telling the story of who you are as a company.

You’re an original. Now act like one.