Why storytelling matters in business

Pernille Aggerholm
Jan 21
4 min read

Most people think storytelling belongs in books, films, or expensive brand campaigns. In reality, storytelling is one of the simplest and most reliable ways to help customers understand what you do and why it matters.

When a message is wrapped in a story, people pay more attention, remember it for longer, and form a stronger impression of the person or business behind it. This isn't a subjective opinion, it’s supported by research showing that stories are significantly more memorable than facts alone and activate more areas of the brain.

In businesses that need customer, partners and investors to recognise you, understand you, and trust you, storytelling can help speed up all three.

This is especially relevant for founders, consultants and advisory firms.

Why stories work

A story gives information shape and meaning. It makes it easier for people to follow your message and connect the dots. Instead of presenting a list of features, you’re giving them a narrative they can relate to.

Stories help your audience answer three simple questions:

What problem does this solve?
Who is this for?
Why should I care?

When information is presented to us using story structure, we naturally pay more attention.

Two essential stories every business needs

Most businesses don’t need dozens of different stories. They need two clear narrative foundations that can be adapted and retold in many ways.

When you get these right, you can communicate consistently across your website, pitches, content, and sales conversations without reinventing the message each time.

Those two stories are your founder story and your customer stories.

1. Your founder or origin story

This explains why the business exists and what sparked the idea. It helps people understand your perspective, your motivation, and the values behind the brand. When done well, it builds empathy, understanding and trust quickly. This is especially useful if you’re early-stage and don’t have years of proof points yet.

The origin story of Jim’s Mowing is a good example. Jim Penman started with almost nothing and built a franchise based on reliability and service. It makes the brand trustworthy because it reflects the values of the founder: effort, consistency, and genuine care for customers. That story has shaped the entire perception of the company. Peruse Jim's LinkedIn posts and you'll see this narrative in action.

2. Your customer stories

These show the impact of your work. They help your audience see themselves in the narrative by illustrating a clear before and after state.

Customer stories don’t need dramatic tension. They simply need to be cohesive, relatable, and respectful. The emotional tone should match the industry. A financial planner may talk about uncertainty or long-term security. A SaaS platform may focus on frustration, inefficiency, or lost time. Not every story needs high emotional stakes of life and death to be effective, just the level that feels natural and appropriate.

Why you might struggle to tell your own story

When you’re standing in the middle of your own story, it can be really hard to step away far enough to see the shape of the narrative. I see business owners struggle because they are:

too close to their work
unsure what details matter
overwhelmed by complexity
afraid of oversharing or sounding dramatic
unsure how to structure a story clearly

Stories become easier when you have a structure. A simple before/after frame or a short narrative arc helps you organise the information in a way people understand.

Where storytelling fits in your marketing

Storytelling supports your marketing across the entire customer journey.

Top of funnel: Origin stories, what you believe, the problems you see, customer insights.

Middle of funnel: Examples, use cases, before-and-after moments, case studies.

Bottom of funnel: Testimonials, transformations, proof.

Storytelling is not separate from strategy. It’s how you give your strategy meaning, clarity, and emotional connection.

Why storytelling matters more now

AI has made it easier for businesses to produce content at scale. What felt like a growth lever yesterday is increasingly becoming tomorrow’s liability.

As businesses begin to look and sound the same, authenticity becomes harder to find and trust starts to erode. We are already seeing a growing appetite for content rooted in personal experience, with a human touch and a sense of flair.

What cuts through now is human connection, not content volume.

The amount of AI-generated content has never been bigger and at the same time, our need for authenticity and connection has never been greater. A story helps people anchor your message in the real world and gives them a reason to care.

Get started developing your own story

That’s why now is the right time to become a storyteller in your own business.

I created the Storytelling That Sells bundle as a practical starting point. A way to bring storytelling into your marketing without needing to think of yourself as a writer or a creative.

It gives you a simple structure for clarifying what you do, why it matters, and how to communicate it with confidence.

It teaches you: