In this installment of Storylines Live, host Paul Furiga delves into the world of business storytelling with marketing and content strategist Susan Finch. In her work at Susan Finch Solutions, she helps clients grow their brands, restore and rebuild their online presence and design and leverage important marketing assets, from brochures to logos and graphics.
Here are the key themes, anecdotes and insights from their conversation.
Establishing trust and building relationships
Paul and Susan focus on the importance of trust and building relationships in business. Susan highlights the necessity of freeing up clients' time by handling tasks they struggle with. In her own work, by establishing trust and credibility, Susan helps clients build leads and maintain strong relationships with their target audiences.
Susan’s experience in the business world demonstrates the power of relationships and trust. From accidentally stumbling into the field of web development to later starting her own successful company, Susan’s journey has been shaped by the trust she’s cultivated with clients and industry professionals.
The role of storytelling
Paul and Susan believe strongly that stories play a critical role in business success. Susan shares a personal childhood anecdote, a time when her sister-in-law dropped some of her husband’s dress shirts in a parking lot. After a trucker came by and took them, Susan ran after the semi-truck to get the shirts back for her sister-in-law because she knew how hard she had worked to save up money for the clothes. This tale illustrates how foundational storytelling is in work and life. Stories demonstrate our values and experiences, and when communicated effectively, they can resonate with clients on a deeper level.
According to Susan, storytelling is also an effective tool for addressing copyright violations, protecting clients from scams and showcasing clients’ value. She believes in the importance of using a human voice to convey emotions and build trust. She believes that incorporating existing stories into business strategies can create more success and client engagement.
Strengthening partnerships and leveraging expertise
Paul and Susan also advocate for the power of partnerships and collaborative learning. For Susan, partnerships help her broaden her expertise and learn from the valuable insights of others in the industry.
Susan helps partners and clients enhance their authority and market presence by translating complex solutions into easily understandable narratives that convey their uniqueness and value and allow them to stand out from the crowd.
Key Takeaways
Paul’s conversation with Susan illuminated critical themes related to the significance of partnerships, trust, transparency and accountability within the business landscape, all qualities that are imbedded in and reflected by the story of a business leader and their business.
Check out Susan’s website to learn more about her expertise and marketing services and stay tuned for more captivating conversations on Storylines Live as we continue to explore the multifaceted world of business storytelling.
