Corporate communications and storytelling must work in tandem to enhance messaging and inspire others by creating a tangible emotional connection. Great stories last thousands of years and impact millions of people by winning their hearts and their minds. Focusing solely on hard data and profit margins causes business leaders to overlook the power of storytelling and the commercial benefits it can bring an organisation. What you say and how you say it can greatly influence brand perception, whether addressing shareholders, employees, or the public.

Successful stories can face into change or transformation and can explain conflict or decisions. Identifying key moments in your company’s narrative, supported by data, builds stakeholders’ trust through demonstrated cause and effect.

Investor stories

Sharing past successes instils confidence in leadership, while a compelling vision for the future turns investors into advocates for your company’s long-term goals.

Internal stories

Personalising stories is crucial for internal communication. Effective leaders inspire others to lead through authentic storytelling. Those who engage with their company’s narrative can motivate teams far beyond what PowerPoints can achieve. Leaders should see storytelling as central to the business, not just an outward-facing tool.

External stories

Public storytelling blends internal and external communications. Like with shareholders, data-driven narratives build trust. Similar to internal communication, word-of-mouth stories resonate best. Advocates among customers enhance a business’s reputation. Real interactions shape public perception far more powerfully than traditional advertising when a story resonates personally.

We have developed a way of thinking about corporate storytelling for large brands and organisations we know that corporate stories will help our clients:

• Tell their organisation’s history, purpose and vison

• Build trust

• Influence investment decisions

• Differentiate a company from its competitors

• Help stakeholders to better understand a company’s results

• Contextualising financial data

• Illustrating how corporate strategies and actions reflect the organisation’s long-term values and goals

Bringing storytelling into your communications breathes life and emotion, helping employees, stakeholders and shareholders comprehend and retain the data more effectively. 

We have helped clients such as Yorkshire Water and Wales & West Utilities to understand the value of their story by producing joined-up, insight led approaches to their corporate communications, whether this is through annual reports, corporate websites, sustainability reports or corporate narrative and communications.

By following these key steps, our collaborative approach allows us to develop an authentic and bespoke story, helping to structure your investment case and key messages and providing your stakeholders with the tools to make informed long-term decisions:

Understand your audience

Consider the interests, values, and expectations of your target audience.

Create a cohesive narrative

Incorporate relevant information like industry trends, financial metrics, and market insights into a story that grabs attention and inspires investors.

Use image-rich content

Incorporate charts, videos, testimonials, or case studies to bring out human stories and engage stakeholders.

Focus on the company’s transformation/goals

Highlight challenges overcome, innovations developed, and strategic decisions that propelled the company forward.

Showcase what makes your company unique

This is especially important if you have many competitors in your industry.

The right mix of channels

A strong narrative treated in a campaigning way, across a mix of channels, enables a cohesive story to be told beyond the report.