As an individual, we are all many stories. From our sex to upbringing, religious and political affiliations, likes, food preferences…you name it, depending on your start point we can tell different yarns.

Our businesses too are many stories. You could focus on many different aspects of what and how you provide a product or service.

For a business though, you can only tell one (initial) story.

Which one?

The story which emphasises what is in it for a customer.

The story that provides a what and a why, and which reveals your heart and soul.

The story that also does all the heavy lifting for the rest of your organisation’s storytelling (web copy, social media, blogs, sales and marketing collateral).

These crucial 2 – 10 words which announce your offer can’t require the reader, listener or viewer to have to guess what it is you’re flogging.

All a customer cares about (as such) is what is possible in your offer for them.

If you use something too abstract, then you have to explain.

Explaining Is losing.

But if someone can immediately see and grasp what the value proposition is, then you run the risk of them:

• Asking you to tell them more
• Reading more deeply about your offer
• Jumping onto the video you’ve also made

It means your one story must intrigue while it explains.

It means your one story must answer back of the mind questions, and keep the possibility of deeper exploration open.

It means your one story must the most important few words your business will ever need to get right.

Unearthing and polishing these words is no walk in the park.

For a start you’ve got to understand and reveal the One Central Truth of what your business is about – your purpose.

You might be able to figure out and define a customer-facing proposition all by yourself.

But it is unlikely you’ll succeed. We usually need help from someone who understands business as well as the power of language, to sort the wood from the trees.