Take a moment to reflect on how far your organization has come. Chances are, where you are now isn’t necessarily where you started. Any organization can attest that evolution is a part of business. And chances are that where you are now is not necessarily where you will be when you look back even two, five, or 10 years from now.
Just like goal-setting and intentionality are proactive steps to take as an individual, your organization also requires a vision to define its next steps. However, it isn’t always easy for stakeholders to comprehend your future goals, especially if they are significantly different from your current position. Outlining the future of your business through a plot adds clarity and connects resources with actions such that your stakeholders can be confident in the direction you are headed.
The Case for Future-Based Messaging and Storytelling in Business
Establishing a narrative for your organizations adds context and legitimacy to an otherwise abstract roadmap of where your business is now, and where you’d like it to be at some point in the future.
Consider the fundamental marketing perspective: an offering exists to allow customers to move from their current state to a desired future state. A salesperson utilizes storytelling in order to highlight the value of the offering and the role it plays in achieving that future state. In a similar fashion, your business can utilize storytelling to describe its capabilities and strengths that will lead to a desired future state, thereby highlighting its value to stakeholders.
You can create an emotional connection with your stakeholders by asking them to participate in making your future a reality. It boils down to inviting people in so that you can join forces and work toward your ideals together, as a stronger collective unit. People become more attached to things they feel a part of, which initiates action and engagement. You can further your influence by creating shared objectives. If you’ve read our previous blogs, you know that Incite prioritizes authentic connections and this is one way to do so.
When sharing narratives about the future, focus on your long-term vision, emphasize your ultimate goal and purpose and the overall impact you wish to have on your stakeholders and your community as a whole. Change presents the opportunity for positive improvement. What better way to catalyze those improvements than to include them in your journey of development and growth?
“Narratives inform how entrepreneurs reach out to stakeholders, enact structures and resources to drive entrepreneurial action, thereby constructing and connecting past, present and potential future activities and accomplishments” – Stephen Manning, Thomas Bejarano
To confidently move your organization in the right direction, you need to have clarity. By taking a 360° view of your organization, Incite identifies that pivotal point where your organization’s strengths, market needs, and unique differentiation intersect.
Connect with us today to learn more about how we can support your organization to define your market position and best path forward.
