Your go-to-market story and strategy must be fully aligned. When they are not, the customer experience breaks down. The perception of your brand is damaged. Employees lose faith and trust in your company. Customers leave and go to the competition. A recent article in the Journal of Business Strategy stated why story and strategy alignment is so important:

“In its simplest sense, a corporate story is a narrative tool that tells the tale of a company’s strategy in action. It is a clear, structured, compelling articulation of ‘who we are’ and ‘where we’re headed’ that rallies emotional and rational support from stakeholders. More than mere words, however, the corporate story’s strength lies in its ability to align leaders, drive decision making and mobilize the organization.”

What does a strategically aligned story look like? It is a story that is …

  • Aligned with your go-to-market strategy
  • Anchored in a higher purpose
  • Constructed with repeatable, memorable building blocks
  • Embraced and activated by employees
  • Connected and consistently shared throughout the customer experience
  • Built to produce top- and bottom-line business results

Creating a strategically aligned story is one thing. Activating it consistently inside and outside of the organization is another. A Forbes article titled, “Strategy 101: It’s All About Alignment,” explains why:

“Assuming you have created a sound strategy based on the union of customer desires and company output, you now face the challenge of inserting employees into the mix — in a way that aligns their daily decisions and actions with the strategic direction of the company.”

Getting employees and partners engaged is difficult. To do it right, the entire leadership team must get behind the initiative and drive organizational change over time. The key to success is consistency.

Companies that make story and strategy alignment a priority will win. They win because they create a superior experience that increases customer acquisition, retention, loyalty and competitive differentiation.

To learn how we can help you activate a strategically aligned story throughout the customer experience, schedule a briefing with one of our experts today.

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