Don’t ‘set and forget’ your story
In business, storytelling is often treated as a one-and-done task. Companies craft a polished presentation, a catchy campaign, or a single narrative artefact and think their storytelling work is complete. But storytelling isn’t static. It’s not about producing a single output and walking away. Great storytelling is a verb—an ongoing, iterative process that evolves with time, context, and audience.
When approached as a regular practice, storytelling becomes a dynamic tool for connection, alignment, and inspiration. It’s the backbone of how businesses communicate where they’ve been and where they’re headed. Here’s why storytelling in business should never be “set and forget” and how working with a visual storytelling expert can transform your approach.
Storytelling as Iterative: Refining the Message
The best stories are rarely told perfectly the first time. Just as writers revise drafts and filmmakers shoot multiple takes, business storytelling benefits from iteration.
When you treat your story as a living entity, you give it room to grow and improve. Each time you tell it, you gain insights from your audience—what resonates, what doesn’t, and where clarity can be improved. With this feedback, your story can be refined, becoming sharper, more engaging, and more impactful.
For example, a company might begin with a high-level strategy map but, over time, add layers of detail, reframe sections to align with new goals, or adjust the tone to better connect with evolving audiences. This iterative process ensures your story stays relevant and compelling.
Storytelling as Episodic: Building the Narrative Over Time
Great storytelling doesn’t have to happen all at once. Think of your favourite shows or podcasts; each instalment deepens the story, reveals new perspectives or unfolds the narrative a little further.
Business storytelling can work the same way. Instead of trying to tell your entire story in one sitting, break it into episodes. Each piece can focus on a different aspect of your journey—where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you’re going.
This ‘episodic’ approach keeps your audience coming back for more, building anticipation and interest while also making it digestible. It also means you can adapt the story as your business evolves, you can see change as the next piece of the story, rather than treating it like something you now have to fix.
Storytelling Through Multiple Lenses
Every story has multiple perspectives, and business stories are no different. A single narrative can be retold through the lenses of different characters or stakeholders.
For instance, your story could be framed through the eyes of your employees, customers, or even a community that interacts with your brand. Each new lens adds depth and dimension. It gives your audience a richer understanding of who you are and what you stand for.
A visual storytelling expert can help identify these lenses and craft narratives that bring them to life, ensuring every perspective is reflected within your broader message.
The Power of Repetition
How many times have you re-read a favourite book or re-watched a beloved movie or tv series? Home Alone anyone?? Just me? Stories don’t lose their power with repetition. In fact, the familiarity can deepen the emotional connection.
Your business story can work the same way. Repeating key messages across different channels or at various moments in your journey reinforces your identity and mission. Each time your audience revisits your story, they understand it a little more deeply or see something they missed before.
How a Visual Storytelling Expert Can Help
By working with a visual storytelling expert, you can create artefacts—like strategy maps, journey maps, or explainer videos—that are designed for revisitation. These tools can be refreshed, or re-contextualised over time, keeping your story relevant.
Establishing storytelling as a practice, rather than a one-off, requires the right tools, mindset, and approach. A visual storytelling expert can:
- Create Foundational Artefacts: Develop initial storytelling tools like strategy maps, storyboards, or explainer videos that capture your story in a visual and engaging way.
- Support iteration: The right expert will help you refine and adapt your story over time, they have the benefit of being slightly removed from your story on a daily basis so they have a clearer vantage point to see how it is evolving.
- Enable episodic storytelling: When you design your story using the right frameworks then your story can be set up to unfold in instalments, keeping your audience engaged while maintaining narrative cohesion.
- Expand perspectives: Identify and capture diverse lenses to showcase the richness of your business story.
- Help you to design for longevity: Craft artefacts that can be revisited, re-used, and built upon, maximising their value over time.
Investing in the Storytelling Journey
Doing it right from the start is a worthwhile investment. When you establish storytelling as an ongoing practice, you create a narrative foundation that evolves with your business, resonates with your audience, and drives long-term engagement.
It’s not about telling your story once and leaving it behind—it’s about nurturing it, revisiting it, and allowing it to grow. With the right approach, your business story can become a powerful reflection of your identity, a rallying point for your team and a source of connection with your customers.
So, don’t set and forget. Embrace storytelling as a living, breathing practice. And if you’re ready to bring your story to life, let’s get started. Together, we can craft a narrative that not only captivates but continues to inspire, time and time again.
