We all talk about the impact of storytelling and how much it can help you gain success in business. But have you ever wondered why anyone would care? The answer is simple: they won’t unless you make them.
So how do you make your audiences care?
James Clear’s Atomic Habits discusses identity-based habits as deeply rooted in a person’s outlook toward life. As a businessperson, identity-based habits are what impact business goals and approaches towards achieving them. Identity is what you believe in, and outcomes determine what you seek to achieve. A permanent change comes from transforming the who part of behavior—the character.
According to The Brookings Institute, identity is a unique, inherited collection of assets, history, traits, and culture that distinguishes it internally and externally, and has the potential to unite people and place.
I believe in building one’s identity before narrating the story.
This identity acts as the point of departure for an individual’s business goals. While vocalizing your business values, you make use of your personal experiences and principles; you may hold close to your life motto. Doing this cannot be possible unless you introspect. Identity adds a personal touch to your approach, thereby connecting with your audience emotionally! I have come across many coaching platforms and marketing campaigns that skip the first step (identity building) and jump straight to optimizing the resume (outcome), which is honestly a futile attempt. Making such huge leaps weakens the foundation. I like to add depth to my purpose by burying deep into myself and finding the source of what drives my clients, and their clients.
Whether it is a coaching program I develop, a class I teach, or a marketing campaign I create, I always start identity, which helps everyone determine the course of the entire brand-building process.
Once you create your persona, you can shift your attention to the processes involved in making your business dreams come true. These could be the strategies employed to get what you seek through the business and not stray from the values. And finally, think about what you achieve from your efforts — the outcomes. The reality that you are looking at right now must also allude to the fact you promise to create for your clientele, and that is not possible unless you believe in it and make it believable for others.
