Don’t be the ‘Pooing Character’ in your business story!

“Heroes should not masturbate or ogle strangers in the first three chapters. The reader also knows everyone poos. But if the first thing a character does is poo in front of the reader, the reader will think of him as the Pooing Character forevermore.”

That’s a fantastic piece of introducing-your-main-character advice there, taken from a novel-writing guide I bought years ago.  But it’s also good advice for when you’re introducing yourself in the business world.

Your first impression is an enduring one

I’m not saying there are businesspeople who introduce themselves while they’re on the loo (though with the explosion of online networking, who knows?)  But there are businesspeople who introduce themselves with harrowing tales of woe, or deeply personal stories that have nothing to do with what they do, and that you can’t help recalling every time you meet them.

For example, I was once at a networking meeting during which everybody had to stand up and introduce their business, one by one.  I don’t remember much about that meeting, apart from one particular person who told the room that their crippling depression meant they struggle to get out of bed in the mornings.

Although I could empathise with this person, I also knew I’d never work with them. 

I might have done, if I’d had the chance to learn anything about their business, or if they were any good at what they did, first. Or if the depression-story was a compelling lead-in to how they started a business that helped others deal with their depression.  Instead, the shift in atmosphere was palpable. I watched as eyes flitted nervously around the networking room: were we all expected to share a personal story now?  That wasn’t what we’d signed up for, or was it?

“I wasn’t going to post this, but…”

Social media buzzes with constant tales of personal challenges in business. Many entrepreneurs record heartfelt videos and write lengthy posts that capture their most devastating personal moments, in an attempt to stand out from the crowd as their true, authentic selves.

I blame the cult of storytelling for that. Telling deep personal stories is all the rage: it’s the marketing hot potato you’d be churlish not to slather in butter and devour with both hands.  But when it comes to business promotion, personal storytelling is best handled with cutlery and a napkin.

So what?

The best storytelling mixes a personal tale with relevant business context. If you run a charity that helps families in need, explaining your own family background and challenges could be a fantastic way for people to understand your motivation and connect with you on a personal level.  But if you’re a self-employed accountant, that kind of story might not be so effective.

(Think about telling a different one: like that time when your great-auntie Susan – the one with the whiskers and the green handbag that always smelt of lavender – bought you a wooden abacus when you were three.  From that moment on, you knew your life would be forever lived through numbers.  Or something like that).

What do you really want to be known for?

People will watch videos about personal stories. They will read heartrending tales on social media.  But that’s because they’re nosey. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll want to work with you afterwards, even if they all comment gushingly underneath about how amazing and brave you are.  While you might be exactly those things, you may also have just become the Pooing Character forevermore.

Adding a touch of your own personality to your business can work wonders. But before you tell the world about the lasting psychological impact of your parents’ divorce, or your troubled relationship history, ask yourself if it’s something you want to be known for. Because if that’s the first thing new people learn about you, it will be.

And wouldn’t that be a shame, when you’ve worked so hard to be great at what you do?

I can help you take your business and personal lives, mesh them together and create a beautiful blend of memorable stories, if you like.  If you do, email me here or set up a quick call here.