Authentic storytelling: Why it matters

Here at Good Work Group, we’ve been getting lots of questions about authentic storytelling. Prospective clients are interested in having their story told as a means of connecting with the community, and they want to learn more about how to do it.

And here’s what we tell them: An authentic story reveals who you are and what you stand for. It goes beyond organization history to tell a compelling, rich story about what you believe, why you do what you do, what problem(s) you’re trying to solve, and what inspires you to do it.

To be sure, an authentic story isn’t greenwashing. It’s transparent. It’s purposeful. It’s community-focused. It reveals the motivations and missions of entrepreneurs, pioneers, and idea-generators. Of products, innovations, and initiatives that have the power to affect change or do “Good Work.”

In other words, authentic storytelling is journalistic, revealing, and affecting. The image above is an example of just one aspect of authentic storytelling: It helps to recount the story of a 50-year-old popcorn stand in New Ulm, Minnesota that was a fixture every spring and summer for more than half a decade. While the business might be small in nature, the impact it had on the community and its history was significant, all of which is revealed in strong, authentic storytelling.

Below is a guide sheet we give clients to help them start thinking about their authentic story and how we can best tell it. We believe everyone has an important story to tell—and that growth and connection lie in those stories. We admit it: We’re sort of geeks about telling a good story. And here are just a few reason why:

WHY AUTHENTIC STORYTELLING MATTERS

What’s happening now:

We are in the Era of Cause Consumers: It’s not what you say, but what you do. It’s about “social investments” instead of monetary investments. It’s about what you think instead of what you produce.

Remaining authentic and relevant in a cause marketplace depends on four things: creating a credible product or service; having a responsibility to the community; providing a clear, transparent message; and allowing customers to become part of that message, and part of that community.

According to the 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study, 85 percent of respondents said they have a more positive image of a company when it supports a cause they care about.

What authentic storytelling does:

It helps companies take a leadership role in the community; develop and nurture a relationship with the larger community (e.g. your customers); create an emotional connection that inspires community, drives action, and increases profits.

It establishes trust.

It reveals who you are, why you matter, and how you stand apart from the competition.

What authentic storytelling is:

Our approach to authentic storytelling helps inspire interaction, leadership, awareness, and connections. Good stories help you reach new customers by defining:

WHO are you? Who are the people in your organization? How do they help it grow? What do they stand for?

WHAT distinguishes you from others? What problem are you trying to solve? What drives you?

WHERE do you implement your strategy? Do Goggle, social-media, and real-time discussions all tell the same story?

WHEN do you interact with your clients? Is your story always being captured?

WHY do you do what you do? What value and meaning does your organization/business have to you/the community?

HOW do you continue to share your values, engender trust, and create community in all of your client interactions?

How authentic stories are told:

We believe storytelling is holistic, powerful, and crucial to your bottom line. That’s why we start by helping you define your:

Strategy: How does your organization think? What are its goals? What is its purpose?

Mission: What problem or problems are you trying to solve?

Subject/Hero: Who or what is at the center of your story? And what are they doing that’s unique?

Identity: What is at the core of who you are? How can words and images convey your company’s essence?

Meaning and Purpose: Storytelling helps give meaning and purpose to both your internal and external clients. It helps empower your organization’s culture and engender trust with the community. And it helps you grow, thrive and create successful outcomes.

Want to learn more about authentic storytelling and how it can help you grow and do Good Work? Get in touch with me today at molly[at]goodworkgroup.com.

Image from U.S. National Archive. Original Caption: This 50-Year-Old Popcorn Stand Is a Fixture in the Community of New Ulm, Minnesota. Each Spring and Summer It Is Located on Center Street. The Town Was Founded in 1854 by a Group of German Immigrants. It Is Still Predominately a Farming Community Although It Owes Its Growth Since 1950 to Manufacturing Companies That Have Moved In. in the 1960′s the Business District Had Vacant Stores and Needed Refurbishing. with Community Effort the Business District Was Revitalized.