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As a child growing up in a declining neighborhood in Detroit, I dreamed that the burned buildings and vacant lots might be replaced with brilliant new structures that would invigorate the community. As I matured and took up architecture, I found myself in a world where faceless modernism seemed to decry the death of spirit. You could not tell what city you were in if dropped in the middle of downtown "anywhere." Most buildings had no meaning and did not feel part of any certain community. It doesn’t have to be this way. Architecture can strengthen Identity, Community and Purpose when buildings have meaning.
Architectures Impact On Vancouver is Alive & Well
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Throughout history, architecture has stood as a representation of society, reflecting the values, successes, and eventual downfall of civilizations over time. From the monumental structures to the residences and buildings that make up the fabric of a city, we can learn a lot about who the people were who inhabited them long before our time. By studying the built environment of the past, combined with modern-day research on psychology and the environment, we’re coming to understand the effects of architecture on people in entirely new ways, which begs the question: Just how does architecture impact society?
Alfred Waugh on Indigenuity in Architecture
The Architects: Vancouver Convention Centre
Woodward's Redevelopment... A Model for Cultural Sustainability
Vancouver's Oldest Prized and Praised Properties
Architectural tours of Vancouver with the AIBC
We are experiencing a unique cultural moment wherein a critical examination of our museums, monuments and arts institutions is no longer optional, but compulsory. The discussion will explore the responsibility of the architect today and the task of interpreting our legacy for future generations.
Some of the world’s most renowned architects – Daniel Libeskind (National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa), Robert A. M. Stern (Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia; the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas), and Billie Tsien (Obama Presidential Library in Chicago) – detail their process and purpose in designing these and other historic projects.
Source: 92nd Street Y
Based on Steward Brand's book, "How Buildings Learn"...
View the Six Part Youtube Series
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Part 1: https://youtu.be/AvEqfg2sIH0
Part 2: https://youtu.be/09pekAKuXjc
Part 3: https://youtu.be/ZSaWdp833YM
Part 4: https://youtu.be/GuKPknFLHno
Part 5: https://youtu.be/j_dozoqw4To
Part 6: https://youtu.be/HTSbtM12IZw
"Change is here to stay. Understanding the importance of resourceful thinking will allow you to be at the forefront of leading change."
Change in the workplace can create ripple effects throughout an organization. If you accept that leaders make decisions that are in the best interest of the organization, humans are imperfect, and outcomes can be challenging to foresee. Every human is vulnerable to what Daniel Goleman calls the “amygdala hijack.” When your fear takes over, it can affect your ability to make sound decisions. Sometimes your choices are not the best ones, and at times you don’t understand the impact until hindsight kicks in, and by then it’s often too late to turn back.
You may not be able to control external events; however, you do have the responsibility of leading you and making choices to promote positive change that aligns with organizational values.
Change is here to stay. Understanding the importance of resourceful thinking will allow you to be at the forefront of leading change. At times, change can be disruptive and overwhelming, and with the right attitude, a focus on business readiness, leaders can capitalize on change by learning to embrace change for what it is – possibility.
Leaders must consider the underlying intentions of the proposed change and keep in mind that sometimes uncomfortable change can bring desirable outcomes. For the future leader, change is the vital ingredient that must be welcomed and nurtured.
Here are 13 practical tips that office managers can implement to bypass the ego and graciously navigate change in the workplace:
#1 Manage Your State
To lead in this competitive world, one must accept change is inevitable. When you take responsibility for your state, despite your challenges, you show up to face the situation with a smile, and you leverage your strengths to enjoy the new experience. One way may be to embrace the opportunity by writing down responses to critical questions:
By asking these questions, you identify the importance and build the confidence to accept it.
#2 Success Leaves Clues
When dealing with change, often it’s the unknown that is scary. One way to break through the resistance is to imagine all the different possible outcomes and identify the best- and worst-case scenario. Ask yourself, “what’s the worst that can happen? Another strategy may be to connect with the last time you experienced a significant change and how you achieved the results you wanted. Identify the strategies you adopted and replicate.
#3 Focus On What Can You Control
It is essential to identify how much control over the situation you have. By putting things into perspective, you can identify the small things you can do to make the process easier.
If the change is beyond your control, adopt a reflective approach. Accept that there are things beyond your control and choosing to be uncomfortable will bring greater peace than waging a no-win war. Change is an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a setback.
Focus on what will produce results for you. Ask questions such as:
Focus on what you can influence to take the right action.
#4 Stay Grounded in Reality
Change is about being flexible. When the opposite occurs, you diminish your chances of being able to survive the transition. Your default thinking patterns will be out of alignment with the new environment, potentially leaving you behind. When you shift your thinking to a growth mindset, you identify that you may need to learn new skills, integrate new processes, or redirect resources. It is an opportunity for the business to become more efficient, effective, and productive. Identify a plan to respond to the change for you and by engaging the team, build a team plan in alignment with organizational change.
#5 Opt-out Of the Perpetual Negativity to Lead The Change
Sometimes talking a lot about your fears, anger, and frustration can be the worst advice. Harvard Business Review research highlighted that consistently espousing negative emotions hinders your natural adaptation process. That’s not to say ignore your feelings or bury them so they can pop up when you least expect it. Instead acknowledge your sense of anxiety, frustration, or anger and identify how it is influencing your thinking and disrupting your relationships. Look for the facts as everything else around the situation is a story you have created. Edit your story, look for practical steps that you can implement, and by doing so, you shift your focus from being problem-saturated to solution and future-focused.
#6 Remember What Victor Frankl Taught Us
Victor Frankl’s famous book, Man’s Search for Meaning, tells the story of how he survived the Holocaust by finding meaning in the experience which gave him the will to rise above it. He had returned home from years in Nazi death camps to discover his loved ones had all passed. Despite the tragic events, he recognized that he could not go back to the life he once had. He was free to find new ways to live, new opportunities to grow and build new relationships to share. Frankl’s story is an extreme example but a great reminder that even though you are never free from change, you do have the freedom to decide how you respond and what to do next.
#7 Lighten the Mood
Finding humor in situations can be a positive way to create light-heartedness to a problem. Rod A. Martin, a humor researcher, discovered that witty banter could lighten the mood and improve social interactions if the conversations are inclusive and respectful. Sometimes, sharing your struggles can be gold and reminding people that you are human.
#8 Look for The Silver Lining
Workplace change is a platform for a fresh start. Rather than getting caught up in the day-to-day things, invest time into the future you want to create within the workplace. Work out what you want to achieve, identify steps that will take you closer to your vision, break tasks down into smaller chunks, and identify timelines. Make sure to celebrate milestones as momentum generates motivation. When you look for the silver lining, you can use it to reinvent your professional persona and add new skills to your repertoire.
#9 Prioritize Data Over Complaints
Presenting an alternative idea if something isn’t working is the best way to lead the current course of things in a new and better direction. Another option may be to illustrate what works and what doesn’t by benchmarking. For instance, if a new program is introduced that you believe less effective than a previous one, compare results, prepare data, and plan a conversation. Data is a great way to shift an outcome in a different direction potentially.
#10 The Workplace Change Curve
Learning more about how workplace change works, organizations often refer to The Change Curve as a trusted and reliable tool. This model explains the transition process and emotions associated with change. It has been used to help people understand their emotional reactions to significant change. It provides a visual to predict how anyone in the process of workplace change is affected. The curve offers insight into how you know where you are on the curve and why and how other people experience similar emotions during transition.
#11 Water Cooler Conversations
If you want to stain the fabric of an organization, invest your energy into gossiping, whining, and closed-door conversations. When people don’t express their concerns in a resourceful manner, the impact creates ripples within the organization. Instead, leaders must lead by example, encourage teams to share concerns directly with them, and inspire colleagues to involve everyone in a decision that will impact everyone.
#12 Don't Let Communication Be An Afterthought
Communication must be a core component of the steps moving towards future actions. By creating an environment where all levels are on the same page, allows any communication gap to be identified and provides a space to mitigate rumors and speculation. Emotional drama permeates, and the fabric of the organization is stained. When leaders create spaces for employees to communicate their fears effectively, their concerns can be better addressed and alleviated. Empathy is the most excellent communication tool for leaders.
#13 Trust Your Instincts
Trusting yourself is vital once you have eliminated bias. If a decision is made within the organization that you feel is not in alignment with your values, then you must decide whether you want to continue being part of the organization in the future. Staying and hating is not an option. The more important question is, “what is your plan to buy-in to the change?” With the right attitude and actions, you will always find opportunities in the workplace change.
Source: Eden Blog / Written By: Angela Kambouris
In the face of a crisis or economic slowdown, resilient organizations ride out uncertainty instead of being overpowered by it...
How Did Business Create Resilience During & After The 2008 Recession?
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In 2008 we went through a worldwide recession and companies that implemented the strategy of resilience came back faster and even leaped ahead of their competition. Now Covid has thrust us into an equally challenging time. Find out how adopting resilience can help you though these unprecedented times.quickly. access the resilience resource centre »
Source: McKinsey & Company
Companies can structure their organizations and decision processes for resilience by embracing six principles of long-lasting systems:
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Source: Harvard Business Review / Written By: Martin Reeves & Kevin Whitaker
The essence of resilient leadership: Business recovery from COVID
Resilient leaders shift organizational mindsets, navigate uncertainties, and invest in building trust in order to develop a recovery playbook that serves as a solid foundation for the post-COVID future.
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Whereas organizations used to describe agile change as “fixing the plane while it flies,” the COVID-19 pandemic has rewritten the rules of upheaval in modern times. Those of us leading any organization—from corporations to institutions to our own families—are not fixing the plane in midair, we’re building it. Times like these need leaders who are resilient in the face of such dramatic uncertainties.
The first article in this series described the essential foundations leaders need in order to effectively navigate through the crisis.1 Resilient leaders are defined first by five essential qualities of who they are, and then by what they do across three critical time frames: Respond, Recover, and Thrive.
As we progress into the Recover phase of the crisis, resilient leaders recognize and reinforce critical shifts from a “today” to a “tomorrow” mindset for their teams. They perceive how major COVID-19-related market and societal shifts have caused substantial uncertainties that need to be navigated—and seized as an opportunity to grow and change. Amid these uncertainties, resilient leadership requires even greater followership, which must be nurtured and catalyzed by building greater trust. And resilient leaders start by anticipating what success looks like at the end of recovery—how their business will thrive in the long term—and then guide their teams to develop an outcomes-based set of agile sprints to get there.
Resilience is not a destination; it is a way of being. A “resilient organization” is not one that is simply able to return to where it left off before the crisis. Rather, the truly resilient organization is one that has transformed, having built the attitudes, beliefs, agility, and structures into its DNA that enable it to not just recover to where it was, but catapult forward—quickly. read on »
Source: Deloitte Insights / Written By: Bill Marquard
No one can do business with you if they don’t know you exist. In order for you to start making some traction in your business or to level up, you must invest in your personal branding, and work hard to get the word out...
When Chic CEO was in its first year of business, I remember getting to a networking event after just leaving another and met a woman in the bar line - because #wine. We introduced ourselves and she said, “I see you everywhere.” It was the first time we had chatted, but she already knew Chic CEO. My business partner and I were on a mission, bound and determined to be seen.
Obscurity can be one of the biggest business killers to any venture. Here are some ways to step out and get known.
Niche Down, Down, Down And Find The “That’s me!” Response
Homing in on your target market is one of the very best things you can do for yourself and your business. When you can get super clear on who you work with, marketing becomes exponentially easier. I recently met a woman who is a hair stylist and she said she specializes in blonds with short hair. “That’s me!” I squeaked. Brilliant. I rarely hear of a stylist getting that specific when describing what they do. Cut, color, style, what else is there? Turns out, a lot. I didn’t realize that stylists niche down too, until that moment. She actually made me say, “that’s me!” and that’s marketing gold. The more specific you can get on who you serve, the easier it is to break out of obscurity and the internet noise.
Pick One Social Channel And Hit It Hard
Watering down your presence isn’t a smart strategy. Your audience might hang out in a few places, but chances are, the majority of them prefer one social platform over another. Focus your time in being ever present on that channel. Melyssa Griffin, a prominent blogger who teaches others to create profitable blogs, doubles down on Pinterest. Larry Kim, founder of Mobile Monkey, puts a lot of his effort into Medium. It’s not that they aren’t present on other social channels or platforms, but you can see they have found where their audience hangs out and they show up to that party. If you are working solo, your best bet is to stick to one social channel and hit it hard - so you can maximize effort with the little time you have.
Post Content Where Your People Are Hanging Out
To piggy back off of the previous point, you may notice that there are more people hanging out on platforms like Medium, than they are on your blog. When you are posting non-stop to your own blog with little traction, start posting where people might actually see it. There are many media outlets that allow you to write for them, or places you can post your content. Start pushing your message, ideas and value to platforms that already have an audience, rather than your blog where only a handful of people might see it.
Create Strategic Partnerships
Linking up with another business who has the same audience but an ancillary product or service can only help the both of you. Get creative on how you can promote each other to gain more awareness and value for the customers and clients you serve. Related: How To Create Strategic Partnerships. Find ways to create cross promotions, team up on events, help each other achieve the peak end experience or simply do some email swaps. Leverage each other to bring more value to your customers and benefit from the awareness it brings.
Become The Local News Expert
One of the fastest ways to get seen is through press. Press can be tricky, but the key is to provide value. Always provide value. When you are someone that the local press knows can give great tips on how to keep the kids busy for summer, or the proper way to stretch before a marathon - they will call you first. Be their trusted expert in your subject matter and they’ll think of you when something comes up.
Source: Forbes / Written By: Stephanie Burns
"Every company’s biggest problem is communication,” says Scott McGohan." Read on to discover some solutions.
“It really doesn't matter how many times you do it,” says Scott. “If you do any of it, then you have a problem. If you do a lot of it, it's still going to be the number one problem.”
It’s a lesson he learned at an early age from his father, Pat McGohan, who started the business more than 45 years ago. “Growing up in the business and hearing from my father that the number one problem every business has is communication, I believed it,” says Scott. Over the years, he also saw it first-hand.
Here are 4 key ways to become more conscious and mindful about effective workplace communication.
1. Let employees do it on their time
Scott learned the most powerful way to communicate is to deliver content in a way that employees can consume it on their own time. “From a leadership standpoint, it's understanding that we have to recognize that our people aren't available to learn from us on our time. We have to figure out how to do that on their time,” he says.
Envision different channels you can use to deliver stories to employees in a way they will embrace.
For example, McGohan Brabender has a podcast they create in-house and they have a YouTube Channel. McGohan Brabender has learned that the podcasts are popular with employees since they can listen to it on-demand, whenever they have time.
“Some people like to see things, some people like to hear things, some people like to touch things,” says Scott. As a leader, your vision is to get people to feel things.
Right now, Scott focuses on trying to be short, simple, and sweet with content. “We’re embracing the fact that a lot of people today want to learn via their eyes and ears, in probably less than two minute snips. Any longer than that, we lose people's attention.”
2. Stick with it
McGohan Brabender has monthly meetings with all employees. “We look at: Where did we win? Where did we lose? Where are we at? How are we performing?” says Scott. It’s a meeting that encourages transparency and connection between employees.
They also have quarterly employee luncheons. “We'll invite the whole company in, and we'll have lunch. They can bring their kids, they can bring guests, and we've even had parents there.” Over lunch, they also talk about how the organization is doing, how they are performing, and where there is opportunity.
Another way Scott feels the pulse of the organization is through a weekly blog. He’s published the internal blog for more than 5 years.
Whatever a leader decides to do in terms of communication, the most important part is consistency. “If you say to your employees you are going to write a weekly blog, you have to it every week. You can’t miss. Our blog is five years in the running and it shoots out every week,” explains Scott. “Be consistent and be on time.”
3. Use affirmations
“Affirmation is probably the one thing that everybody desires,” says Scott. Scott’s learned to be intentional about how he uses affirmations to his people. In doing so, he’s able to energize and inspire his people.
“ As a leader, when you're telling stories about people in your organization, it affirms the great work they are doing. The magic happens when it inspires other people to want to be a part of a story,” says Scott.
“They hear what others are doing, and they want to be a part of that story. They want to have a chapter written about them. There’s magic in that—that’s what storytelling does.”
4. Show vulnerability
As a leader, have the kind of self-awareness that allows you to show vulnerability through your communication.
“Some may think if you are vulnerable, you’re looked upon as weak,” says Scott. “Vulnerability is a sign of strength. It lets people know they are not alone.”
Find a channel or format of communication that allows you to authentically open up with your people. “For example, for a lot of people, there's an uncanny way for people to be vulnerable in writing versus face-to-face with people. It is an opportunity for leaders to talk about areas in their life where they're vulnerable, or maybe where they're afraid,” says Scott.
“And it lets other people know that you might just be human. You might be just like them.”
When you get vulnerable, your people will respond with trust and openness, too. The result is a culture where employees experiment, take risks, and drive innovation.
Source: Forbes / Written By: Aileron
"...should we be concerned about the possibility of a downturn?"
Avison Young - Trends You Need to Know About for 2020
#1 Lower for longer
How investors are dealing with a low inflation, low interest rate world – and
whether they should be concerned about the possibility of a downturn.
#2 Power to the people
Landlords, developers and occupiers need to pay increasing attention to local
political activism, as today’s street protests increasingly signal tomorrow’s
policy initiatives.
#3 (De)globalization
The pace of globalization is slowing, and in some areas is starting to reverse as
nearshoring and the localization of supply chains gathers momentum.
#4 Building resilience
Cities across the world are leading the charge in responding to climate change,
to ensure economic, social and environmental sustainability.
#5 (Place)making an impact
Placemaking creates great environments for people, organizations and
communities. It is becoming the focus of
#6 The rebirth of retail
Urban design initiatives, an explosion of technology-fuelled experiential retail
and the emergence of new omni-channel strategies give an insight into the
future of physical retail.
#7 Let’s talk about flex
Forget what you may have read in the newspapers, flexible offices are here to
stay and will remain one of real estate’s hottest growth areas in 2020.
#8 AI
Augmented intelligence? Your new best friend could be your cobot, a
collaborative robot who will make your life easier by helping you work
quicker – and smarter.
#9 Wishing well
Wellness is the new front in the war for talent, and buildings have a huge part
to play in supporting companies’ efforts to look after their staff.
#10 Heavy lifting
Logistics is currently a labor-intensive business, and the sector is facing the
twin challenges of staff shortages and a growing volume of e-commerce
product returns.
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CLICK HERE TO ARRANGE A PRINT WITH INSIGHT CONSULTATION
Source: Avison Young / Written By: Nick Axford
"We have partnered with Dominion Blue for our trade show promotional needs and other printed matter."
Scope of The Project / Aim & Outcome:
We worked with their project team to provide various displays and roll-ups to help them promote their brand at events and trade shows. All displays were portable and easy to set up.
Clients Response:
We have partnered with Dominion Blue for our trade show promotional needs and other printed matter. We’ve worked with your company on two major exhibition events recently – the NACS show in Atlanta and the Realtor Quest show in Toronto. The booth exhibits and graphics you produced for these important shows were really sharp and crisp, and faithfully represented our brand. They were also easy to transport and assemble. In addition, your team was responsive, professional, and went above and beyond to ensure our materials were shipped to the venues on time. When we had a question from the venue, we appreciated the rapid response. So – thanks to you and your team, and we look forward to sending you more requirements as we expand our presence further. Regards, Leigh
"...the interpretive signage up at Britannia. Thanks for all of your help with it – looks great!"
Scope of The Project / Aim & Outcome:
Improve the clarity and quality of the interpretive signage. We worked with the project leader to better understand their final objectives. With our UV in flatbed technology we were able to product a new level of quality and print directly on a durable media which offers longevity, while retaining impressive image quality. The client was please and in short order requested additional work which included.
Clients Response:
Wanted to send you a photo of the interpretive signage up at Britannia. Thanks for all of your help with it – looks great! Rebecca
As author and entrepreneur Seth Godin puts it: “Personalization wasn’t supposed to be a cleverly veiled way to chase prospects around the web, showing them the same spammy ad for the same lame stuff as everyone else sees. No, it is a chance to differentiate at a human scale, to use behaviour as the most important clue about what people want and more important, what they need.”
Welcome to the Fourth Industrial Revolution:
Trends in customer trust by Salesforce Research reinforces the notion that brands can win more business by creating personalized customer experiences — a message we’ve heard for some time now. Based on a survey polling over 6,700 individuals from more than a dozen countries including Canada, the 2018 report finds consumers are demanding greater personalization and will often disclose the kind of personal information needed to create more personalized experiences if they feel the business is being transparent about how the data is used.
“Welcome to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, an era defined by continuous technological innovations that are transforming customer expectations. As lines between digital and physical worlds blur, today’s customers demand deeply relevant, personalized experiences across devices, channels and interactions,” according to the report. “In fact, the average customer uses 10 different channels to communicate with companies. Despite this, today’s customers expect tailored engagement across all channels.”
Fifty-four percent of respondents say the marketing messages they receive aren’t as relevant as they would like them to be – suggesting that some companies drastically need to improve their personalization capabilities – while 84 percent say “being treated like a person, not a number” is very important to winning repeat business and maintaining brand loyalty. “Customers expect businesses to understand not only what they are purchasing, but why, as well as how they use products and services, and they expect it fast,” the report reads.
The majority of survey respondents say they are willing to share personal information if it is used to deliver more personalized engagements, and expect that personalization to be coupled with transparency. What’s more, 51 percent of respondents across all age groups say they are comfortable with companies “applying relevant information about me in exchange for personalized engagement,” as compared to 64 percent of millennials and Gen Zers.
What’s interesting is 86 percent of total respondents – and 91 percent of millennials and Gen Zers – say they are more likely to trust companies with their personal information when they explain how it is being used to deliver a better experience for them, suggesting that strict security and privacy protocols alone may not be enough to dispel fears of data misuse and breaches.
“As time goes on, businesses will contend with a more savvy customer base that expects greater personalization, along with respect for the data they swap for it,” the report concludes.
Source: PrintAction / Written By: Alyssa Dalton
At Dominion Blue, our story started in 1912 with an ad featured in the city directory. It was one of eight companies involved in blueprints. We were located in the Bank of Hamilton Building at 432 Hamilton Street. Our focus was simple, offer what architects, engineers, contractors, the government and businesses wanted; preeminent quality large format Maps, Blueprints, Brown Line, and Blue Line Prints.
It was not a splashy opening, but it was honest. Our "can-do," "just-works" and our clients soon realized that we were ultimately providing print solutions that helped them to succeed. By hearing our story and knowing why we do what we do, they quickly discovered that we understood their needs.
A lot has changed since then. Of course, our state-of-the-art digital printing equipment and the breadth of our product and services offer is immense in comparison. But one thing has not changed; we've been building trust with our clients ever since that day and won't stop until we either meet or exceed each one’s expectations.
Knowing how to tell your business story needs to be a crucial part of your operations. A brand story has a strategic purpose aimed towards drawing people in. To perfect your story, try the following tips, and when you're ready give us a call because print can help bring it alive in many ways.
To perfect your story, try the following tips:
#1: Set The Parameters
Your business story should be engaging. But if it doesn’t have a clear focus, you’ll quickly lose the attention of consumers. Establish context right off the bat.
To start your brand story, answer the following questions:
Parameters will help you develop an engaging story that makes sense to your audience. Set the scene so that consumers know exactly what you’re talking about. Most importantly, establish why you’re telling them this story. This will guide the audience through the narrative and hook them all the way to the end.
#2: Be Authentic
Authentic storytelling is key to gaining consumer trust. Don’t try to fool your audience with an over-the-top tale. Customers know when you try to pull a fast one on them, and they don’t appreciate it.
Your business’s story doesn’t need to be elaborate. In fact, if your business doesn’t have an earth-shattering history, your story shouldn’t try to create one. A genuine narrative is more likely to connect with consumers than one without a shred of truth.
Transparency celebrates your uniqueness and acknowledges the human aspect of your brand. Recognize that things are not always easy by showing your own challenges and failures. This creates an emotional connection, as well as reveals admiral characteristics, like innovation and resilience.
You might want to take an “open book” approach to communicating with customers. Explain how things are made/done at your business. For example, you might use all local ingredients at your restaurant. Use these details to create an interesting story.
#3: Have A Clear Outcome
A great business story leaves your audience with something. What lesson was learned in the story, and what should consumers learn from hearing it?
Business stories should have a clear outcome. Provide a hopeful, thought-provoking message with actionable points that compel your audience to connect with your brand.
Here’s another story for you: In the late eighties, my partner and I wanted to write software, but we were not sure about the niche we should pursue. After doing tons of research in the phonebook and at the library (there was no internet back then), we learned that employment agencies had a desperate need for a recruiting network solution. Over thirty years after launching our startup, Top Echelon’s recruiting network has hundreds of recruiting firms and millions of candidates, which helps hiring professionals make more placements.
The story gives an idea of who we are and where we come from. The outcome sparks confidence in our offerings and values. You can use your business’s real-life outcomes to convey a message to your customers.
#4: Be Consistent
A disorganized brand story leaves customers confused and uninterested. Make sure your brand is consistent across all communication channels. Use the same colors, logo, and slogan for digital and print marketing materials. The repetition of images and verbiage associated with your business creates brand awareness.
You need to be consistent when speaking about your brand. Business storytelling takes practice. Know the story inside and out before presenting it to customers. This will help you tell the story naturally.
#5: Get Customers Involved
Use business storytelling to strike an emotional connection with customers. Talk about how an event related to your business affected you and what you learned. This creates an immediate response that makes your story memorable and shareable.
People like to be a part of stories. Your customers can be characters in your brand. Come up with ways to get your audience involved.
For example, Patriot Software reached out to some of our customers to hear their startup stories. Black Sheep Boutique and Lamplighter Brewing Co. were among several companies featured in business storytelling examples on our blog. Showcasing these businesses directly linked our customers to a part of our story.
Telling the story of your brand is an ongoing process. Each day, your business grows, shifts, and adds new chapters to its story. Make business storytelling an essential part of your operations to attract and retain customers.
Source: Forbes / Written By: Mike Kappel
