For thousands of years, people have been telling stories in a variety of forms. Yet just like the word sustainability, the word storytelling has become a trend or something that’s nice to have.  Getting someone to understand what sustainability is about has its challenges  - there are a lot of opinions out there on what sustainability is but it’s not always easily articulated. Often the explanation gets a bit technical so it needs to be broken down, making it easy to understand. This is why having a good story about sustainability is essential. 

Getting your story across to your people, your customers, investors, the media or anyone who needs to know can be tricky. In business you only get one shot so we need to make sure it’s spot on the first time. This is why storytelling is important and not the latest fad that will disappear by the end of the year.

Your story doesn’t have to start with once upon a time but it does need to be interesting, relevant to your business and the audience receiving it. Above all, it needs to be honest and authentic. It may sound obvious, but it needs a start, a middle and an end. We come across a wide range of clients who think they know their narrative but when asked to explain what their business is about, and what they are trying to achieve, they struggle to explain it in plain, conversational English. Instead they get stuck into technical language that’s off putting and often, not interesting.

To make sure you get unstuck with your story, Sangeeta Parmar, CEO and Founder of Pink Beach and a business mix partner, highlights the importance of messaging and storytelling in explaining your business. She has five key tips to make your narrative deliver for you:

• Tip 1: Always plan your story from your audience’s perspective - what is it that they want to hear. Something that’s fascinating to you may not be the most interesting thing for them.
• Tip 2: Keep it short, snappy and to the point. Nobody wants to read or hear a thesis about your company so the simpler the story, the easier it will be remembered.
• Tip 3: One size doesn’t fit all - your story needs to be adaptable so it’s relevant to each audience you speak to about your business. With this in mind always be prepared to tweak it.
• Tip 4: It’s our story not mine. This is not the time to be possessive over your story - whoever works for your business needs to be able to reel off your story just as easily as you can so its important you’re all singing from the same hymn sheet.
• Tip 5: Create a lasting impression - what do you want your audience to remember about your business that leaves a positive impression? Your story should leave your audience hungry for more and for you it’s a way of hooking them into doing business with you.

If you’d like help in crafting and telling your story then please contact sangeeta@pinkbeach.co.uk or visit www.pinkbeach.co.uk for more information.