Now that you have the individual threads of your narrative, it's time to weave them together into something concise, clear and compelling by creating a messaging document to inform all your other communications.
You can think of this as a touchstone or “stem cell” document, because it serves as the basis for lots of other kinds of expression.
You ultimately want two formats of this document: presentation and prose. The prose format ensures your Narrative stands on its own. The presentation format ensures it can be delivered by others.
To ensure that the Narrative can scale longer or shorter without losing its essence, the prose version has four lengths:
- A word or phrase
- A sentence
- A paragraph
- A page
The presentation version usually starts with some kind of observation or insight—ideally, something intuitive but not obvious. This is the best combination to get people nodding their head in agreement, trusting in your credibility and interested to learn more.
The best narratives don’t try to sell people on anything. They create a connection and flow in which people naturally convince themselves. Remember that the purpose of the narrative is to establish a foundation for relationship. The narrative is saying:
- Who you are as a company
- Why you do what you do
- What you are out to achieve in the world
- How you achieve it
- Who you are for others
Naturally, you should write the narrative in a way that is attentive to your audiences. Most importantly, write it in a way that inspires you. Ultimately it’s your passion and authenticity that will make your Narrative engaging.