If any of you flew across the Midwest last month, you may have discovered the following brief article on Corporate Storytelling (which includes a profile of THIRSTY-FISH in the mix), as featured in Midwest Airlines Inflight Magazine.

Here’s the link to the article in full

“Storytelling is an essential tool to activate and accentuate your efforts, whether they are related to business development, sales, marketing or internal change,” says Michael Margolis, president of THIRSTY-FISH, a boutique story and strategy consultancy in New York. According to him, there are three types of stories every organization should cultivate.

FOUNDING STORY

A parable that describes the roots and history of the company can become a great source of pride for employees, as well as a marker of credibility to customers. This story can help anchor and reinforce a set of ideals or beliefs at the heart of the business. This story can be promoted on your Web site, in sales materials, in the annual report and through dozens of other outlets.

VALUES STORIES
These short vignettes describe a situation and how an employee handled the situation. Famous corporate cultures such as Nordstrom and Marriott were built upon extensive catalogs of stories that reinforced the right attitude, thinking and behavior from employees. These tales can be used to train workers, build a vibrant culture and even guide strategic decisions.

CUSTOMER STORIES
You’d be amazed at what you learn when you listen to the customers’ stories. They may value your product or service for a totally different reason than you thought. These stories are your greatest sources of learning, and they can be used as testimonials when you market to consumers. The most forward-thinking corporations today invest a lot of money listening to customer stories.