Miranda Birch Media

Stories that change attitudes and reach new audiences

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Delegate your story to people who tell it better

One of the best ways to explain why your business is valuable is to get someone else to do it for you. Someone who can do it better than you. They’re not necessarily a better communicator than you, but they will have the edge over you because of who they are.

That someone is your customer.

Good with words.

They will do a better job because they’ll use the language other customers use. So if your business is in a sector that has its own terminology, your customers are likely to translate it into layperson’s language. Suddenly your story becomes 100% jargon free. What a relief for other would-be clients.

Your clients will also focus on the parts of your service likely to impress other customers – angles that you might overlook or underplay. (I’ve written more about whether you cover all the angles of your story in my Pick My Brain email series. It’s a three minute read a week and you can get yourself on the reader list here.

Little things. Big difference.

Your customers’ version of your story – why your services are valuable – might not be that different to your version. It could be a slight change of emphasis. Or a tweak in the order of the benefits you bring. But those slight tweaks are crucial. They mean that the opening lines of your story – the precious few seconds you have to grab your readers’ attention – will be concentrating on exactly the right angle, and delivered in a language that other customers relate to.

Said with feeling.

The third thing is how your customers talk about you. Heartfelt praise is a persuasive selling tool, particularly if the people expressing that gratitude have no interest in selling. They’re just offering their support because they think you do a great job and you deserve the compliment.

The power of customer praise struck me when I was filming client stories for Vet Success, a marketing agency for vets, and one of their clients, Delaware Veterinary Group) in Somerset.

It made me think how business owners are often reluctant to ask customers to vouch for them. And yet, if a client is happy with your product or service, they are usually delighted to tell others how good you are.

Clients like Charlotte and her gorgeous dogs Belle and Daisy…

…and Emily and her lop-eared rabbit Snowflake…

…were all generous with their time and comments. You can watch them in this 3 minute film. (You’ll also see a lovely picture of Emily, taken when she’d just been given Snowflake on Christmas day.)

Before you go, just one thing:

Don’t be coy.

Ask your loyal customers to share their stories about you with the rest of the world. Their genuine appreciation for what you do will be obvious, and other viewers will buy into that instantly.

Related posts:

  • The story behind your business values. Not sure what it is? Or what it’s worth? Read on.
  • Stories that do your business a big favour.
  • Build trust. Tell the story of your purpose.
  • Be clear about your company’s future. Tell your stages story.

Filed Under: Effective communication, Purpose stories Tagged With: customer stories, how to tell your company's story, personal stories in business

Miranda Birch

About Miranda at Miranda Birch Media: your marketing will make a deeper impression once I interview the people who will help your organisation to grow: leaders, clients, volunteers and staff. From these conversations I unearth the themes (clients call them ‘nuggets’) that will land most powerfully with your target audiences. As your content mentor, I’ll also help you turn these nuggets into client case studies, About and Home pages, thought-leadership articles and other content that will prove you’re as good as you say you are.

One last thing… There’s another ‘Miranda Birch’ out there, who writes books about ‘dominance and submission’. This is not me and has nothing to do with my company Miranda Birch Media. I’d love you to dominate your niche, but not in the way she means! Email me now and we can have a chat about where you want to get to and how I can help.

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