Have you lost your story along the way?

A version of this post was originally published on the PinTale Blog

Imagine this: you’re at a bustling marketplace, surrounded by countless vendors, each clamoring for attention. Amidst this chaos, what draws you to a particular stall? Is it the vendor with the chalkboard with a giant list of everything they sell? Or is it the vendor that catches your attention with the story behind their wares told with the passionate voice, connecting you to their journey here in the market?

Let’s face it — we’re not as logical as we like to think. As much as we value data and reason, our decisions, especially purchasing decisions, are deeply rooted in emotion. This is true not only for individual consumers, but also for businesses. People, not business, make purchase decisions.

The Power of Narrative

A strong foundational narrative aligns your company both externally and internally. Internally, it ensures that all oars are in the water and moving together. Externally, it puts everyone in your customer’s boat. A compelling company narrative is the heart and soul of successful go-to-market strategies. It’s not just about selling a product; it’s about telling a story that resonates, connects, and endures. There’s a challenge though. Without constant investment of time (and sometimes money) as your company grows, this narrative can fragment and dilute.

Many companies start with a strong, clear story that everyone from the CEO to the newest intern can recite. As the team expands, however, variations creep in. Some reps, depending on their skill levels, might reduce the story to a mere list of features and functions. The product evolves, and marketing teams hustle to adapt, often adding layers of new narratives that overshadow the core message. What once was a beacon guiding your go-to-market strategy becomes a dim, flickering light behind a cloudy shroud of noise.

The Dilemma of Growth

Here’s a scenario familiar to many CEOs and go-to-market leaders in small to midsize SaaS companies: In the early days, your narrative was a magnet for early adopters. It was fresh, exciting, and relatable. As the business grew and the product evolved, that narrative started to fade into the background. Sales funnels that once were predictable begin to stutter. Close rates decline, website leads become less promising, and suddenly, your once dynamic go-to-market team seems to have lost its edge.

The truth is, they haven’t lost their skill; what they’ve lost is the foundational narrative. That compelling story that once unified and energized every aspect of your go-to-market strategy is now a patchwork of messages, none as powerful as the original.

A Story of Orange Koolaid

HubSpot is, by almost every measure, an amazing company with an amazing story and growth trajectory. The truth behind that company would surprise many people. What made HubSpot so great?

Was it a market opportunity… a little.

Exceptional people? … great people for sure, but there are smart people all over the place.

More effort? … it wasn’t easy, but that wasn’t it.

The product and technology? … as a product leader, it feels like blasphemy to say this, but nope.

What made HubSpot great and fueled its growth was the story that was told almost everyday internally and externally. The foundational narrative was exceptional. It was woven into the very fabric of everything we did. Every new hire went through an intense indoctrination… err “training” program for weeks. We heard the story over and over at company meetings. Our customers, especially in the early days, knew the story inside out.

We used to joke about “drinking the orange koolaid”. Sometimes it felt almost cultish. What it was was a story that worked. A story that informed the companies decisions across the board. It informed the sales process, defined the marketing funnel, and guided product development. A story that gave everyone within the company the freedom that actually comes with understanding how everything ties together and who you are doing it for.

This was not even remotely easy. It was a massive ongoing investment in time, money and simple human effort. It was relentless. It paid off.

The Truth

Building and maintaining a strong narrative requires hard work and ongoing effort. It’s to think that the story you once told your team about why we matter is forever, cemented in their brains. That everyone on the team continues to deploy that message with ease. In reality, it requires constant attention, pruning, adjusting and alignment. Your team needs to continuously be reminded how it all fits together, how this addition or that new endeavor all fits into the foundation narrative.

Reclaiming Your Narrative

The solution? It’s time to revisit, refine, and revisit your company narrative. This isn’t about a complete overhaul, but about rediscovering what made your story compelling in the first place, and adapting it to your company’s current stage and future aspirations. It’s about ensuring that every team member, from sales to customer service, understands and can articulate this narrative with the same passion and clarity as the founders.

Oh and that website copy that has been continuously updated several times a week for the past 3 years? Yeah, that needs some attention too.

Remember, a strong narrative does more than just sell a product; it builds a connection. It transforms your offering from a mere tool to an integral part of your customers’ success stories.

In a world where options are many and attention spans are short, a strong, cohesive company narrative isn’t just nice to have; it’s a crucial tool in your go-to-market arsenal. It’s what makes your brand memorable, your products desirable, and your company stand out in a crowded market. So, take a step back, look at the big picture, and reconnect with the story at the heart of your brand.

Remember, your product or service is actually just the punchline. It’s what keeps you honest and delivers on the promise you made to your customers. The story you tell them, that’s the promise they bought into.

• GET POSITIONING HELP FROM US
• If your sales team is just selling your product or service’s features, they’re not telling your story (and not closing as many deals!)
• A Pintale consulting engagement will show you which messaging works best and then tell you how to get your team to use that message more often. Get in touch if you’d like to chat.