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Story Studio

We all love a good story.
Storytelling makes us uniquely human.

You could even say stories are in our DNA🧬

Humans have been sharing stories for over 70,000 years.

Narratives have helped us survive, raise our children, communicate, and, at the root of it all, connect. And it is this human connection that brings stories to life. But what does this have to do with B2B technology brands?

Actually, a lot. It turns out most tech companies are made up of humans doing extraordinary things.

One algorithm, one breakthrough, one innovation at a time.

From the classic David defeating Goliath tale (small startup vs. insert any tech behemoth here) to uncovering the human-centric company origin story (just make sure it’s actually true!) or focusing on why employees love their jobs so they can do #SoulfulWork at a top cybersecurity firm (a story we helped craft for Trellix), we believe every company has a story worth telling.

This, of course, comes with its own litany of questions: Do you have a story? How do you tell it? Who listens? How do you know if it’s resonating? What if it comes across as tone-deaf? How is it different than what your biggest competitor is saying?

Getting it right isn’t as easy as it looks. Worthwhile exercises never are.

That’s why we created the Story Studio. We help companies and executives tell stories that connect with people.

What’s Your Story?

Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Here's how the Story Studio works with you to deliver your “happily ever after.”
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Find the Story

This is often the most challenging part. Being stuck in the grind of the announcement and press release mill can be uninspiring (to say the least).

In a rut? Not sure if the story is really there?

Hoffman can help by facilitating a half-day “story-mining workshop” that provides the ultimate brainstorming boost to develop stories with potential. But what’s even better is our exercises train your team to spot storytelling nuggets in their day-to-day interactions. That means you'll never be without a story again!

Anecdote - Underutilized in business communications, the anecdote brings realness and entertainment value to the story.

And even if you already know the topic of your story, our Hoffman team of storytellers is trained in the “art of the interview.” That means we do our research beforehand but aren’t afraid to throw our carefully prepared questions out the proverbial window (or Zoom call) if there’s a reason to. You see, we don’t want to rely on precious adjectives and adverbs to make a story interesting to read. Instead, we’re asking questions and following conversation threads that dig out anecdotes that will not only lift the narrative but bring a certain ring of authenticity to it.
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Create the Story

Even when you’ve struck storytelling gold, sometimes there’s no escaping the onset of writer’s block when staring at an empty page.

Hoffman is here to help yet again. We have a scientific approach to successful B2B tech storytelling based on data and 35+ years of successfully translating the complex to the relevant.

And getting the words right is often just the beginning. That’s because engaging stories need visuals and other media to best communicate. Our writing team works in lockstep with our creative team to create striking visuals that complement the text, from infographics to videos, icons, and more.
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Tell the Story

A well-crafted story without the right marketing and distribution know-how is kind of like peanut butter without jelly. You might as well be yelling your story at a wall (or finding a better snack in the pantry). Our team not only finds the right story but also the right channels to deliver it.

Whether that be a search-optimized corporate blog, a clever social ad campaign, or an e-book that is shared in the right newsletters, landing page, and respected industry publications, we’re here to help you develop the right story that will be heard.

So, why should you engage with the Story Studio? Because it’s in our DNA (and yours), and no matter what, the story is always there.

Drop us a line at [email protected] to learn more about how we can help.

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