Articles

Storytelling takes guts.

The University of Toronto Research brochure for the Office of the VP won GOLD in the 2010 CASE ll Competition* and the University of Guelph Report to Donors wins BRONZE. Here is the University of Toronto RESEARCH brochure.

Don't read the words - look, instead, at the visual story you present.

How would your customers describe your brand personality?  Ask several people across your organization to describe how your customers see you. Is your truth aligned with your vision?

Imagine a customer relationship founded on truth, shared values, and your unique proposition. Here is a story:

Step into our idea incubator

We tested the value of publishing a print newsletter each and every month. We called it NEED TO KNOW.

Storytelling will cement brand in the hearts and minds of your constituents

Stories are told to be retold. They are heartfelt and heart received. They involve, like any good story, the highs and lows, the near and the far of who you are, where you came from and where you are going. Stories are an amazing way to cement brand in the hearts and minds of your constituents. Brand story, brand culture, brand proposition – these are the clarified outcomes from uncovering and sharing your stories. Storytelling is good for business. Storytelling produces hard outcomes.

Shift thinking and great things are possible.

To avoid closure, head office of a manufacturing and assembly plant did something radical. As a result of this radical thinking they managed to:

Reduce accidents. 
Reduce absentees. 
Reduce turnover. 
Reduce customer complaints. 
And become the most productive assembly facility of five, after being first considered for closure.
 

HOW? By implementing what can only be described as a SOFT initiative:

Dynamic Web Site Protocol – rules to e-publish by

Rules to e-publish by

Heartfelt Memorable Communications

Here is an essential truth: the method you employ to convey the tone, the look and the feel of what you have to say is itself embedded in the message. I wouldn’t spend a hard-earned dollar on average – looking communications that don’t convey at a glance, how you want to be perceived. In one word, innovate the medium. And then how you impart your message – the very method, the words, the sentiment – comes into play. Here is another important single word: Story.

High Fidelity Story Telling

Day after day, your marketing department and creative team dream up new ways to capture the attention and respect of your customers. Witty, graphic, smart, and sassy creative is developed and tested. Even the most successful campaigns run their course. Creative comes and goes... You are only as good as your last great campaign or your new product launch. How do you inspire loyalty beyond reason?

With story.

Get a winning mindset - 10 suggestions

1. A winning mindset is in constant evolution and observation.
Even if you have always sold the same widget, your market is changing, the world around you is constantly tripping and flipping and you need to keep your finger on the pulse of what is next – and adapt your proposition accordingly. Whose job is that?

Time and inclination - invest in yourself.
  1. Have you ever had an idea for a product, project, or service – but it never went farther than the idea stage and then a year or so later someone else has launched it?
  2. Do you find that your best ideas come at unexpected times and then you forget them before you have a chance to write them down - at night, in the shower, on long solitary drives or as a jumping off point from some other idea?
  3. Do you find that you forgot even eureka moments and ideas - until you see or hear about them later?

If you want to be lucky, it pays to be prepared.