Photo (CC) Chris Potter, on Flickr via stockmonkeys.com

People starting a business plan on being successful.

Achieving success, though, is much easier said than done. When starting, one of the first tasks facing the business owner is letting people know you exist. Your story can be one good element to use in this phase.

Stories are engaging. People can relate to stories. Stories help develop the “who” part of your reputation and your brand. When networking, stories can open doors and are easy ways to begin a conversation.

So developing your story is an important step on the road to success.

Yet storytelling is only one part of developing a successful business. It gets the customers in your door for the first time or two, but successful businesses require more.

Typically, the “more” is developing a base of customers who return over and over. Rarely has a business succeeded when selling to a customer just one time. Research finds that returning customers are the ones who generate the greatest return for the business.

What makes customers return? They return when you provide good products and services. Remember that in the customers’ perception, “good” includes price and your customer service, as well as the product doing what it should.

This does not mean you can drop your marketing program. Consumers have short memories in terms of where they will go to spend their money. You need to remind them constantly that you are in business. Even customers who have been with you for decades will move on if you fail to continue marketing to them. The marketing method may change, but it does need to continue.

Achieving success is hard for small businesses. It requires a solid customer base. Telling your story gets people in the door, and offering a good product keeps them coming back.

Photo (CC) by UNE Photos, on Flickr

Stories!! They amaze. They bring out our emotions. They stop and make us think. They help us connect.

All of these, plus others you might add, are why stories are so important when you are marketing your business. Having your customers connected to your business is what branding and marketing is all about. Stories turn customers into your ambassadors.

If you follow small business in the popular press and trade journals, you probably have noticed that the idea of storytelling is generating a great deal of interest. Hubspot, in 2014, suggested it will be the big trend over the next five years.

Why might that happen? Because we are naturally drawn to and intrigued by the story. Good conversation is good storytelling. It has characters you can relate to and often we can identify with those characters and the challenges they face. Plus everyone wants to pull back the curtain and see what goes on behind the scenes. It’s that Wizard of Oz moment.

Storytelling is not new. We have depended on stories every time we network with people. It is the stories in those conversations that we remember. The same holds true now as we build relationships online.

Today’s push for content marketing makes pulling back the curtain a great approach. Let people hear and see how you got started. Give a face to the people who make your business what it is. Talk about your events.

And remember that everything does not need to be work-related. In fact, research finds that consumers want to hear about life outside of the business.

Another great story idea is to highlight a customer. In a recent issue of my monthly newsletter, I highlighted a story of a business owner I have met in my work.

Stories, such as Larry’s, build connections. They help build a strong tie between your company and the customer.

As a small-business owners, you all have great stories to tell. Your story is interesting and compelling. The passion you show brings the story to life.

Here are two articles that might help you expand and enhance your storytelling.

• What is Brand Storytelling? – From Small Business Trends
• 6 Storytelling Tips to Tell Your Business Story like a Ted Pro – From Wordstream Blog

If you are in business, you already are using stories without even realizing it. Keep going. Build on your efforts. Tell your story in all of your marketing.

I look forward to hearing your story.