Storytelling: Can It Really Help Your Utility? By Stephen V. Smith, WordSouth
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If you read our monthly articles for the TMEPA Overlook, you know we are big fans of storytelling. In fact, storytelling is the basis of content marketing, which is what we help our clients do. But why is this an effective tactic?
There is plenty of science that explains why storytelling works, and we may dive into that in a future article. For now, let’s focus on how you can use the power of storytelling to communicate with your customers — about everything from safety programs to rate increases.
As a community-based utility, you have a powerful story to tell. You are different than the investor-owned providers. Your local roots are deep. Your employees are integral parts of the communities you serve. You have more than a business plan — you have a mission.
And that brings us to our first point:
1) Storytelling can help you Advance Your Mission.
Work hard in the good times to make sure your stakeholders understand your mission, and you’ll reap the benefits in the tough times.
Who are your stakeholders? Individuals and families who live on your system. Business customers. Community leaders. Elected officials. The people who have any point of interaction with you — who are interested in your progress and your programs — are the people who need to hear your story. Your work has an impact on all these groups, and they need to understand your motives, your plans and your ultimate goals. It's your job to tell them where you are and where you're going.
2) Storytelling can help you Drive Customer Engagement.
There are many occasions in which you need to move your customers to action. Maybe you want to increase enrollment in a program such as SmartHub. Perhaps you need customers to provide feedback through an annual satisfaction survey. Maybe you need community advocates as you launch a new business venture or enact a rate increase. A good communications program can prepare your customers to engage with you on these various levels, motivated by a sense of connection that is powered by storytelling.
3) Storytelling can help you Motivate Your Employees.
It’s no exaggeration to say your employees are your greatest asset. Lines, substations and offices are useless without quality, knowledgeable people to put them to work. But we also know that a disengaged, disgruntled employee can be a huge liability who makes forward progress difficult internally and contaminates their friends, family and other contacts with discontent. While there is no 100 percent cure for this disease, consistently sharing your story will help keep most of your employees focused on the company’s mission — and keep them motivated to work alongside one another for the betterment of the people you serve.
As you see, there is great power in storytelling. But how do you do it? What does it look like? Are there some guidelines for making it all work?
Yes ... but that’s a story for another day.
Let’s visit next month in the TMEPA Overlook!
* * *
Stephen V. Smith is President/CEO of WordSouth — A Content Marketing Company, serving electric and telecommunications providers since 1996. Stephen can be reached at ssmith@wordsouth.com.
There is plenty of science that explains why storytelling works, and we may dive into that in a future article. For now, let’s focus on how you can use the power of storytelling to communicate with your customers — about everything from safety programs to rate increases.
As a community-based utility, you have a powerful story to tell. You are different than the investor-owned providers. Your local roots are deep. Your employees are integral parts of the communities you serve. You have more than a business plan — you have a mission.
And that brings us to our first point:
1) Storytelling can help you Advance Your Mission.
Work hard in the good times to make sure your stakeholders understand your mission, and you’ll reap the benefits in the tough times.
Who are your stakeholders? Individuals and families who live on your system. Business customers. Community leaders. Elected officials. The people who have any point of interaction with you — who are interested in your progress and your programs — are the people who need to hear your story. Your work has an impact on all these groups, and they need to understand your motives, your plans and your ultimate goals. It's your job to tell them where you are and where you're going.
2) Storytelling can help you Drive Customer Engagement.
There are many occasions in which you need to move your customers to action. Maybe you want to increase enrollment in a program such as SmartHub. Perhaps you need customers to provide feedback through an annual satisfaction survey. Maybe you need community advocates as you launch a new business venture or enact a rate increase. A good communications program can prepare your customers to engage with you on these various levels, motivated by a sense of connection that is powered by storytelling.
3) Storytelling can help you Motivate Your Employees.
It’s no exaggeration to say your employees are your greatest asset. Lines, substations and offices are useless without quality, knowledgeable people to put them to work. But we also know that a disengaged, disgruntled employee can be a huge liability who makes forward progress difficult internally and contaminates their friends, family and other contacts with discontent. While there is no 100 percent cure for this disease, consistently sharing your story will help keep most of your employees focused on the company’s mission — and keep them motivated to work alongside one another for the betterment of the people you serve.
As you see, there is great power in storytelling. But how do you do it? What does it look like? Are there some guidelines for making it all work?
Yes ... but that’s a story for another day.
Let’s visit next month in the TMEPA Overlook!
* * *
Stephen V. Smith is President/CEO of WordSouth — A Content Marketing Company, serving electric and telecommunications providers since 1996. Stephen can be reached at ssmith@wordsouth.com.
