People change, and so should companies.
That's obvious.
But what's not apparent is this:
That's obvious.
But what's not apparent is this:
Your company's story needs to change continually.
Think about it: Has your company's story changed?
For most companies, especially smaller ones, the answer will be no.
While the origin story of your business should never change, the strategic story or narrative should—the story you tell people.
Like a tree, your company's story needs to grow, develop, and evolve.
If not, people will forget about you.
Why?
Times change. And when your story doesn't change with the times, it feels outdated and lacks an emotional pull.
How do you grow your story?
Through consistent communication with your customers.
Through this communication, you should intentionally figure out how they are currently using your product.
As the late Clayton Christensen put it, "What jobs are they currently using you for?"
As an early customer, they may have used your company to do X, but now they use it for Y.
And that needs to drive your strategic narrative.
But it can't end there.
You also need to watch the market to notice shifts and changes.
To have a relevant and evolved company story, you need two data points:
- Customer data (How are they currently using your product)
- Market data (What shifts or changes are happening)
When you have significant findings from both of those fronts, you can accurately and effectively update your story.
And the companies that do that stand out in a sea of staleness.
Is your story growing? Or is it dying?
🧠 // JO