Use Storytelling to build your Professional Practice

We follow brands for many different reasons. We share their values, we like their products, we find their content helpful. The main reason is that we resonate with the story behind the brand. 

As part of your professional branding, you need to craft and tell a good story. If you look at the companies you love, you’ll discover that each one has a powerful story behind it that resonates with you and your values.

Why Storytelling Works

Stories are powerful because:

  • They put a human face on your professional practice
  • People naturally love and are engaged by stories
  • A good story offers one more way to communicate your values
  • Stories engender trust because they explain “why”
  • People relate to stories, especially when they see themselves in them

Your Founding Story

An essential story that you absolutely must tell is how your brand came to be. Most of these stories have a similar plot arc:

  • You suffered from some seemingly insurmountable problem (which is the same problem or one problem that your audience faces)
  • You went through all sorts of frustrations, just as your audience is now
  • You came upon a simple idea and decided to give it a try
  • The idea worked and got results, and now you’re here to teach others how to do it

Of course, this isn’t the only good founding story. But the above story is powerful because it says: “I overcame your problem and I can help you overcome it too.”

Other Ideas for Personal Branding Stories

At the very least, you should develop a story that tells about the founding of your brand, but there are many other ways you can use storytelling as well:

  • When you talk about your life and especially your business, what do people find most interesting about your journey? This is a story that needs to be told. 
  • Explain how you came up with an idea for a certain product. Pick your best product or the one you most want to see increase in sales. 
  • Think of specific challenges you faced along the way or major milestones you met and turn each into a piece of content you can share. 
  • Tell the story of a customer or client that you helped. Even better, have them tell the story. You can use this as a piece of social proof. 

There are stories everywhere waiting to be told. It’s just a matter of finding them.

Where to Share Your Stories

You can use storytelling in blog posts, YouTube videos, the “About” page of your website, social media, and anywhere else you publish content. You don’t have to be a master storyteller.

Just get out there and explain to people why you do what you do, and it’ll have the desired effect.