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Content Creation: Why Your Company Needs A Professional Storyteller

As a young boy, I was energetic beyond my age, propelled by karate movies that we used to watch on TV or in cinema houses sprayed around our...

As a young boy, I was energetic beyond my age, propelled by karate movies that we used to watch on TV or in cinema houses sprayed around our ghetto suburbs. 

Back then, cinemas dominated the entertainment output, since TV sets were few. Access was limited to a few elites. The time I spent in the cinema helped me to discover a way to express myself. 

The community hall inspired me to become a storyteller. 

Even though I was not an orator, whenever I read, everyone listened. Slowly, I was becoming a celebrity. Back then, my father bought me books to read. 

Alone, I consumed the literature, mainly vernacular with elevated passion. For that period, I peeled myself from my peers to indulge in my novels, far away from the madding crowd.

In the beginning, was the word

Every Sunday, we rose early. Soon after breakfast, we were dispatched to the church. By the time, we availed our shinny faces, our eager Sunday school teacher was already waiting. We sat in neat rows, armed with our bibles, regurgitating verses. 

Genesis is one of the popular books in the bible.

The statement, “God said”, is mentioned more than once. This was during creation. Back then, we did not deduce much from the verses. Years later, it made sense. Now, I know that creation was necessitated by words. 
Own Your Story 

Words were part of creation; words are part of the creation process. We were made with words. In other words, words are powerful, they shape the future. We are always surrounded by stories. The storyteller definition starts with God.

Every day, each week, every year, stories are being churned, whether positive or negative, stories will always exist. And they need to be harnessed and told because people love stories. 

Stories have been existence since time immemorial, even before creation. People love to hear stories told by other people, their past, and their aspirations.

In the gospel of John 1:1, the bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” So, words have been in use since biblical times. And they still possess that power even as you read.

Everyone is a storyteller

Since we became flesh through words, we all have a story to tell. You might not be a professional storyteller, but we are words and we are part of the storytelling process that was kickstarted from the beginning of the earth. 

Every situation we encounter offers a new concept to tell a different story. We all seek to be heard, it doesn’t matter if the story is of interest or not. Everybody yearns for a patient ear to listen to their story. Women need to be heard. Children demand attention, always.

When your neighbors fight, they are telling you a story, a story of a troubled marriage. My second born used to cry a lot when he was young. At the onset of the cries, we were overwhelmed, at first. 

Until an expert told us that, he was seeking attention.
Write Your Own Story 

“He is trying to tell us something.” Really? So, crying is also part of the storytelling process.

Storyteller synonym

Africans respect funerals. They religiously attend them to grief and, or, showcase their love for the bereaved family. Among the mourners, usually, are the close friends, who are permitted by the African culture to tell the life of the departed in a humorous, creative way by imitating the departed person's actions.  

The participants are not, however, sanctioned for ‘belittling’ the dead. The lighter moments, often sprinkled with jokey stances, will enlighten the somber atmosphere.

Before technology reached Africa, storytelling was part of its entertainment. Experienced men and women gathered the young, especially around a fire, after work to listen to their history in the form of stories. 

There were no books then, nor writing to preserve history, so storytelling was vital, passing history from one generation to the next.

Also, every company or brand has a story to tell its customers. Or competitors. This can be the company’s history, the journey to prosperity, starting with the company profile is an example of storytelling. 

A profile is an opportunity to tell your company’s vision, aspirations, and services in creative, attractive ways.

Stories are part of us 

Your company’s vision, brand, journey, and services are stories told in different ways, formats, and platforms. When your company attains a certain milestone, you need to tell that story, because it will inspire someone. 

Small issues, every success need to be told, eloquently by professional storytellers. This will attract more admires. Previously, I created content for a company. In a few months, the company was getting a high ranking through google search.
Everyone Has a Story to Tell
He, however, decided to channel resources elsewhere. The proprietor chose to ignore its impact, assuming that it was a waste of resources. What a big mistake, that many companies continue to make. 

With more inquiries trickling, in, he was still convinced that his ‘links’ made clients ‘flock’ to the company. Later on, without quality content, the brand suffered in terms of SEO. 

The above scenario should be a warning to your company.

Corporate Social Responsivity (CSR) is another opportunity to tell your story by appealing to the emotions of the people involved. Imagine, going to the community to identify what is affecting the people. 

CSR is a proven concept to showcase how much you care about people’s wellbeing. Moreover, it shows that you are willing to invest for the benefit of the community. Utilize your creative CSR initiatives to convince, convert doubters to your company in a unique way.

Every company needs to tell stories

Remember, if you fail to tell your company’s story, someone will do it for you. And when they do, they will not portray it the way you want. Often, companies complain of negative publicity through a ‘hostile’ media that they claim has an agenda against them. 

Sadly, the majority of these companies do nothing to tell their version to the world. This is the only way you can determine what people need to hear and what their customers must expect from you.

Negative publicity haunts many brands today. But they have done little to remedy that. Big companies grow because they tell their own story. Coca Cola is one of the biggest brands, with billions of consumers across, the globe. 

When the company tells its story, whether through advertising, they do so like they started operating yesterday. Their concepts have the energy, zeal, potential, and creativity to influence, transform and impact action. 

You too should do the same for your company.
Some Brands Tell Their Story Creatively 
If you don’t get a chance in the mainline media, so what? Create your channels, package them and tell them in your unique way. Remember, there are always people waiting to get inspired by your accomplishments, struggles, limitations, and humble beginnings. So why wait, go out there and inspire someone, today.

Use every opportunity, every platform to tell your story

Creating, packaging, and broadcasting your story used to cost an arm and a leg. Or, it was limited to established companies only. Today, those trends have completely shifted. 

Today a plethora of platforms exist for you to tell your story, and no brand should be limited by anything, as long as the will to accomplish it is there. 

Content creators or professional storytellers for hire are available. You can engage them to tell your story. A professional storyteller's salary will not cripple your company, but rather it increases your value.

If Africans can use funerals to convert a somber atmosphere into a lighter moment, imagine what unique concepts you can develop, if you apply your mind to it. 

With fewer resources, and a willing soul, you can create unique ideas, that will transform and build bigger, better companies than you can ever dream of. 

You certainly have the power, and what is only limit you is you searching for a professional storyteller near me.

Who is the best storyteller?

Out there, you will encounter many people who claim to be anything in life. They claim they are capable of delivering on anything, while in reality, they are nothing. But here is something that will shock you. 
Choose A  Professional to Tell Your Story
Most of those who say are professionals, cannot provide proof of their experience if asked to do so. So, lack of a comprehensive portfolio shows they are imposters, bent on taking away your money. 

A storyteller will take time to study your brand, ask relevant, intelligent questions, and conduct independent research. More importantly, they should have links with influential platforms to propagate your company. 

They will also analyze your company against your competitor, and offer the best way to approach and execute your unique content. 

They should be bold enough to tell you that it does not take a single write-up to get the job done, rather it is a carefully planned process, with edits, additions, and other professional acts.

Each time I get a proposal to work on a specific story, I invest more time in researching what will go into my final piece. I peruse every document and research paper that has been produced to come up with a packaged, fact-proof document to produce a total package. 

Further, I engaged all necessary stockholders and ask the relevant questions and follow-up questions. Often, I have surpassed what my paymasters offered me to do. 

In that way, I have accomplished and gained more in personal development. Remember, going the extra mile won’t hurt you, it helps you to become a wanted storyteller.


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