Once upon a time, there was a business. This business looked like many other organizations, but its leaders were deliberate on how they told their story. In our fable, the organization dedicated time to create its brand, solidify the value proposition, and share key messages. As this business grew, the goal became to hire the best talent to join the team. In keeping strategic storytelling at the front of every initiative, the organization gained clients, grew market share, and recruited the best talent in the market. The end.
Perhaps this tale seems simplistic and contrived, yet often the important initiative of strategic storytelling is skipped when organizations create their external—and internal—brand. I like to think of strategic storytelling as crafting a value proposition and positioning this message in a compelling and articulate way. Leveraging communication tactics is critical when sharing a business’ vision and differentiators within the market.
Strategic storytelling is crafting a value proposition and positioning this message in a compelling and articulate way.
In a future piece, I’ll cover ways companies can leverage consistent brand messaging to build the trust and loyalty customers feel for the business. To coincide with this issue’s theme of workforce development, I’d like to share how strategic storytelling can be utilized to reach the right talent.
Just like bringing clients to the door, recruiting the right workforce involves creating a comprehensive message across all channels. When potential employees are searching for jobs, the first places they look is on your website or LinkedIn page to learn more about your company. You cannot underestimate the importance of clear branding and messaging to people that you want to work for your firm.
Three Ways to Leverage Strategic Storytelling in Recruiting
1. Your employees are your best source for introducing others to your organization, including potential hires. Make sure you equip your team with powerful messaging—a dynamic elevator speech—about your organization. If an employee clearly can define your mission and where he or she fits into it, the pride and ownership will be compelling to new talent.
2. The brand that you showcase to the market should be similar to your workplace. If you’re a casual tech company with cool products, chances are your office environment will be laid-back and hip. If the perception of the internal and external are not in alignment, regrouping to tell a congruent story can help bring these together.
3. There is a saying that a person needs to hear a concept eight times for it to sink in. With this in mind, consistent messaging in multiple channels from leadership to employees is critical. And in recruiting, key talent will also need a precise message across the board.
With strategic storytelling, positioning your business in a compelling way isn’t a fairytale. In taking the time to clearly share your value proposition as an employer of choice, potential hires will have the benefit of understanding the business’ place in the market and how they can be a part of future growth. And they lived happily ever after.
This post was originally written by Shan Bates-Bundick for The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Business Voice magazine in September 2019. Click here to view the original article.