I was in Bucharest again recently. If you don't know the city, what springs to mind when someone talks about the capital of Romania? Communism, Ceausescu, and fobidding concrete apartment blocks might be on the list. Cold weather, perhaps, and an impenetrable language.
I had plenty of preconceptions before I went for the first time. And how wrong I was.
More on that in a minute. The point of this post is that we all have our preconceptions, and that includes everyone who has reason to think about your business.
What are they thinking exactly?
Well, you don't know (unless you ask, but that's for another post). The only way to counter those preconceptions is to tell people a clear story: about why you do what you do, and what's in it for them. If you want people to remember your business, make that story a personal one about you, your employees and your customers.
A micro-case study
The client we're working with in Bucharest is one of the country's biggest companies, but when they approached us I knew nothing about them. I had my opinions, but it's only since I've worked on their story that I really understand what they're about. They have a great story, great people and results to be proud of. I like them. A lot.
What you need to do
Don't let preconceptions get in the way of your message. Get your story clear, make it heartfelt and then use it everywhere. A business without a story is like a drama without a plot. You can't afford to be without one.
And Bucharest? It has Parisian architecture, a beautiful Old Town, a language and people as much Southern European as Eastern European, and it's roasting in summertime.
I love it.
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