Writing About Success Stories
These days, there are many ways to tell the success stories of your business or organization.
You can use inexpensive electronic methods, such as an enewsletter or blog, for instance, or you can go the more traditional route and send out a printed copy of a newsletter. You can also choose a combination: an enewsletter and print magazine or a blog and a printed newsletter, etc. Each method reaches a different audience. You should choose the marketing pieces that best suit the needs of your business or organization.
Once you decide on a way to publish your stories, you have to figure out what your stories are and how often to tell them. We think once a month is a good time frame. Look back over the month and think about what or who stands out. Is there a client you helped in a particularly significant way? Think about what makes you proud of your business or organization, and which clients, volunteers or board members demonstrate that area of pride.
A good story will focus on one person and how he or she benefited from your products or services. It’s important to give enough information about the person to make the story interesting and to show how your business or organization produced a positive change.
When you write about your success stories, you inspire people to take action—to volunteer, to donate, to become a client. So remember to let people know what you’re looking for; remember to offer “a call to action” as the conclusion to your story. What do you want people to do after they’ve read your success story? Should they visit your website? Make a donation? Come to your next board meeting? Let them know what to do and tell them how to do it.
Success stories are an important tool in promoting your business or organization. Talking about your successes helps to build awareness around what your business or organization does, and it also helps to build the support and trust of clients, donors and the community.
So start telling your stories! If you need help telling your stories or getting them to a wider audience, contact us for help at janice@beetlepress.com or (413) 374-6239.
