What is "narrative" anyway?

You're probably sick of the terminology already; the buzzwords of marketing; the new age of engagement.

Engagement. Isn't that an annoying word? There was a time when engagement really had two principal meanings. One was a meeting or event you were to attend, the other was a state of pre-marital bliss.

Now it means something far more nebulous. Something like attention. Yes that's it, we call it engagement but what we really mean is to hold someone's attention long enough so as to convince them to do something about it. Like buy your product/service or connect with people.

Connect. Almost worse than engagement. Another infuriating word that really means to meet, or to correspond, or to make friends. Why do we have to be so general in this day and age of information, when words on screen are so cheap anyway?

Why not be specific? "I met with Brian on Thursday, I think we're going to do business together, hell, we might even become friends!" There. That's better. Now I understand what you're saying!

Which all leads me to the big one doing the rounds these days: Narrative. And its cousin, Storytelling.

I bet you think to yourself, when you see these words in a marketing context, "I AM RUNNING A BUSINESS HERE, FOLKS, NOT TELLING FAIRY TALES!" I know I do, and I write stories for a living!

Yes, I am guilty. I use these words; more than I should. I think it's better to think of everyone's lives as an anthology of short stories. We're doing one thing for a bunch of reasons; and then we're doing something else, for different or perhaps related reasons. The key is that a person is involved, you, and so you're running through this series of little stories that sum to your life. Scary but true: you could tell a story about nearly every aspect of your life. Some of you have some pretty thrilling stories I'm sure!

When we place this into the business context, what us narrative-weaving, storytelling, keyboard-tapping marketers are saying is that you need to focus on the who and why and how of your product/service, rather than just the what and where (which are really just a description of your thing, whatever it is. They might be features, but by themselves they are not benefits, which is to say, they do not, in and of themselves, deliver value. For that, you need to demonstrate how you're making a difference to someone and why they need it).

Some products benefit strongly from the who. For instance, a biography is all about the who and its exact job is to tell that story. Many services depend on the who: you want to know who's providing the service, whether you can trust them, etc. Sometimes, the who is all you need to sell.

The why and the how, however, are the big game. In almost all cases, the reason something sells is because someone has a problem to solve or task to complete, but they don't have the tools or resources. Then you come along with the solution.

• Need to share a picture of your cute kitten, right now for all the world to see? How are you going to do that? Instagram of course!
• Looking for a place to stay that's more homely than a hotel? Airbnb will show you how. 
• Need to settle an argument? Google it. (OK, I say that with caution, but you get me.)

What do all these have in common? They're little stories.

I was trying to get home from the bar [why I was looking for transport], but there were no taxis around [don't know how I'll get home], so I used the Uber app on my smartphone and within minutes, a nice man in a nice car was driving me home. It was a great experience!

Tell that story, and people will start using Uber. Millions already do and you know this story because it could be your own. That story is told the world over, and is a driving force behind their expansion (along with a related story about better service than taxis, which is really just a taxi-avoidance version of the story above). Uber even caters for the business executive who wants to look like he's stepped out of a private limo - Uber Black. There's another story...

So that's why we do it, because it is memorable. If a product or service is to really sell, it needs to fit into people's lives. It must fill that gap. The story of why and how gives a person a compelling reason to buy.

The brands that are best at this invite their customers to tell their own stories about their use of the product. This kind of customer participation in the story of a brand is incredibly powerful in building a business. And it's pretty straightforward in a world of social media.

Tell your story well, and people will sell your product to themselves.

Salespeople have been doing this for centuries. You've no doubt heard of the "create a problem then solve it" technique for selling (and advertising). Well, that's a story based technique. And it works, like crazy. Nothing better than hearing from a customer, "yeah, I can really see why I need this!"

That's what you're trying to achieve when you tell your brand/product/service's story. You're just making it fit into people's lives. Giving them a reason to engage buy.

By the way, to return to the original question, narrative is just an account of connected events. That's what the word means. It's how you tell a story. You narrate a story. You're a storyteller! Get telling! Or, if storytelling IS that gap in your life, get in touch with us and we can help!

1 Powerful Way to Differentiate Yourself in the Property Market

Scene:
A trendy suburban cafe, around 11 am on a warm spring day. The customer walks past a stand with some local mags, sees a page with a real estate agent's banner. She's about to move on, dismissing it as advertising, but then sees a catchy headline and an article. "Well," She thinks, "I dropped in for a coffee, and don't have anything to read. This'll do." And with that, she picks it up and orders herself a skinny latte.


A few minutes later, she's on her smartphone and scanning ads for real estate in the area. She's a successful woman, has a young family, and is still in the house they bought when they married. The house is getting a little cramped now though, "I wonder what we could upgrade to, if we did?" She ponders before looking again at that article, which discussed the booming real estate market. "Perhaps I'll give them a call."
Get help if you need it, but do it anyway



You published that article a few weeks ago, and it made it into that cafe, and now it is being read by a potential customer. A person who, for whatever reason, was not even thinking about real estate, and especially not about selling their house, until now.

What changed her mind? You did.

The persuasive power of words

Now this woman has taken the first step towards selling, and you were the catalyst. It's very likely you'll be the first call she makes. You'll now get the chance to talk to her about selling and buying in the same market. The pros and cons. The advantages of getting it done efficiently. You will be able to explain to her how you can make it easy for her. And the best bit? She's a willing listener. She came to you, not the other way around.

This is the power of having market commentary out there, in writing. It carries authority, it delivers non-sales-pitch information, it has a subtle call to action. Most of all, it sparks interest, puts the seed of an idea into the reader's head.

Differentiating yourself

The truth is everyone can find a real estate agent if they need one. One Google search and it's done. But often they don't have the prompt to do so. People need to be asked to think about selling or buying real estate. That's why real estate agents spend so much time canvasing the market for listings. It's the hardest part of the job (it's not uncommon to make hundreds of calls a week), which is why anything that assists people in getting over that hurdle is so valuable. If a simple article makes people think about selling; then it's worth its weight in gold.

It doesn't have to be a big thing though - you're an expert in your field, and well acquainted with the goings on in your local market. I bet you have lots to say. I bet you wish people knew how good you are at your job. Well, the answer is to get your opinion out there; regularly. Start locally. Start by communicating with your established client list and roster of sales queries. Get your picture and opinion in the local paper. Write a newsletter. Write a blog.

It does require some work, but consider this: If just one extra listing came from your blog or newsletter, the commission on that sale alone will repay you for your efforts.


Despite what you might fear, generally people are not too picky about grammar. So if writing is not your forte, don't fret. A poorly worded or written piece is better than nothing at all, so by all means, write it anyway and get it out there.

If you really want your opinion to convert to sales though, you need to write it well, and with an ear for persuasive copy. Good writing gets more attention than bad writing. And human beings simply enjoy well-written material. So it is worth the effort to get it done well. Given how much money is potentially waiting, it's worth considering hiring a writer to do it for you. Rates are more reasonable than you might imagine, and the big advantage is that you can establish a regular flow of writing from your desk; freeing up your time for better things, like selling property!

If you are interested in hearing more about how a professional writer with real estate experience can help you, have a look at our services and get in touch today.

Meeting in the Middle: Making complex concepts comprehensible.

I'm not going to lie: Science can be hard to understand.

There's a reason you need at least four years of intense study at university before you can call yourself a scientist. There's a lot to take in, many concepts to understand, and much to remember. It can be challenging. But for those of us with an innate fascination with the workings of the world, science is a joy! So it's not really hard work. More like a labour of love.

On the other hand, science is just one discipline among many, and not everyone is interested in being a scientist. Which is fine. The world would be pretty darn boring without the artists and writers and musicians; and trust me, we'd probably go broke or forget to eat if scientists were in charge of the money.


Science is everywhere, but not everyone is a scientist.

• Many people (in Australia, all working people), for instance, have superannuation accounts whose fund managers invest their money in companies that perform some kind of scientific work. 

• All of us come across scientific content in the news; be it a story about a bionic ear, or a story about vaccinations, its there; all the time. 

• Some of us are just interested in understanding how something new works. Be it the latest in VR, or a new biotech company with something revolutionary. 

Complexity: the enigmatic enemy.
Wait, so how do people do both?


Science and technology underpins--makes possible--modern society; we really don't have a choice but to be engaged in science and technical matters in some way.


You don't have time to quickly grab a science degree though, so you rely on the writer/presenter/company executive to give you information that you can understand.


If you can't understand something, you won't remember it. If you don't remember it, you won't act on it.

It's that simple.

For most of us, that's as far as it goes. It's a shame, but it's OK.

For a company trying to sell its new wonder-product or technology though, that lack of public understanding is nothing short of a disaster. Smart people don't invest in stuff they don't understand.

So companies with scientific (or just technically challenging) ideas to convey simply must ensure their public communications are comprehensible to the public or else they are staring down the barrel of irrelevance; no matter how well run the company is, nor how good their product is.

Tell us all! Tell us all!

In a kind of reversal of the same message, a slightly different principle applies to science media/journalism.

Whereas the science company might be full of science knowledge but lacking in the communications department; the science reporter might be a great communicator, but not have enough scientific understanding to convey science news properly.

Great science reporting leaves very little out - the details and the science remain, but in understandable language. To retain the science content though, the reporter needs to grasp the science first so that he or she knows what to say.


I thought you'd never ask. It's straightforward - this mid-point between scientists and the general public has specialists of its own - science communicators. We act as translators and interpreters. We make it possible for the great work of science to be understood, and therefore supported (financially, legally, politically) by people outside the scientific community.

The problem is not going to get better with time - in fact it will probably get worse. Technology and science is advancing at such a pace it may one day outstrip humankind's capacity for understanding. But in the meantime, it's better to have your amazing whiz-bang thingamawhatsit portrayed to the public in a digestible way.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help with science communication, please contact us for advice.

Creating Investor Engagement in Technical Disciplines.

The question is, are your company announcements performing as well as they should be?


Companies involved in scientific research and development often make highly valuable discoveries, products or services which, by tapping newly created or already very large markets, could make a material difference to company value. “Game Changing” developments are, by their very nature, new to the market, and as such, require that investors understand the importance and implications of the new development. This can be difficult due to the technical nature of the development and the closed-world of scientific research where scientists talk to other scientists in language that is confined to the scientific community.

It is an information market.

Capital markets trade in information as much as they do in shares. Freely flowing positive news can give impetus to share price appreciation. It is critical in this environment that companies who wish to have brokers and investors talking about their offering, over that of competitors, provide information that is easy to digest and share. Thus any announcement (particularly technical announcements) made by a scientific company should be reviewed to ensure it communicates effectively with its target audience: namely stock brokers and investors.

Understand who you are trying to reach and what you are trying to do. 

Stockbroking, and the investment community generally, is a highly educated arena. However, the education is predominately confined to economics and finance, with only a small adjunct of technical/science savvy analysts whose main role is to judge company value on a case by case basis, usually confined to the very specific list of companies that any given broking firm covers. Given the segregated nature of academic specialization here, it is beholden on scientific companies to ensure that their market communications can reach across the divide. You cannot assume that it is a technically savvy analyst who is reading your announcements.

The curious thing about markets is that they can price-in the value of nearly any company development, no matter how technically difficult to understand it is. However this simply will not happen if the market cannot identify the news value, financial value, corporate value or, indeed, understand what you are saying. The net result is commonly no share price movement at all. So, market communications (announcements, presentations etc.) simply must be made with ease of understanding as a primary goal.

With the above in mind, I wrote a short paper on how to approach the problem of "translating" technical material into readable writing for the general market. It contains greater detail than what is here in this post. You can find it towards the bottom of this page: http://www.articul8.com.au/science.html

Clarity is King.

It should be enough to sell the concept of clear communications on one principle alone – the easier it is to understand a company; the easier it is to invest in that company.

The majority of listed companies understand this well and some have entire departments dedicated to good, clear public communications. However it is still common enough, especially in technical disciplines, for this to be overlooked. In the increasingly busy market, this can no longer be ignored. It may be the only way you can cut through with your message.

Given that you already have many very intelligent, well-educated, well-spoken individuals in your company, many of whom probably write very well, you may not need a dedicated communications or PR team. It may be enough to simply outsource the final writing and editing of your announcements. Get it all ready to go, but give the final job to an external expert. This minimizes the time and therefore cost of good communications with the outside world. It also need not jeopardize your obligation to release information to the market “immediately”.

Ultimately, the market can only judge your company based on what it does and what it says. You've got the what-it-does under control, that's how you got to where you are today. But spare a moment for the what-it-says. That may just be the critical difference for the future of your enterprise.

If you think you need help in crafting clear communications, drop us a line!

Found this, and it's brilliant. Have a look at my insides!

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Is your business writing healthy? You may need help.

Have you stopped to think about all the written content you have out there? You might not realise how important it is. Not because you don't care, of course you do, but simply because you haven't stopped to think about it. Below is a list of copywriting moments for you. Think of it like a copywriting "health checklist" for you and your business.

1. Your website.

Seems like a no-brainer, right? Wrong. A lot of thought needs to go into the copy on your website. It's not enough to have a rudimentary explanation of your service, or a bland product description. You need to ensure that visitors understand how they can benefit from your product or service. What part of their life or business needs help, needs fixing? How does your offer fit into their story? Are you making it easy for them to understand you and see why they need you?

2. Your blog.

The centerpiece. The point of departure; the point of arrival. Your blog is where your story takes shape, and where people come to understand you. They visit your blog to learn. They will come to respect you and follow you. You bring people into your tribe through your blog, and all the other social media should hang from this fruitful tree. The better the writing, the more likely it is that people will stay, and, crucially, the more likely it is that they'll actually understand you. You need to be absolutely sure that what you write really says what you mean. That's where good grammar, punctuation, and spelling is critical; as is a good helping of rhetorical skill.

3. Business copy.

All of it: your brochures, your company reports, your letters. They must read well. Your marketing materials need to be catchy and informative. If not, they simply will not do their job. Selling is a dirty word these days, but selling is what you do. It doesn't have to be like bad daytime TV though. Well-worded copy has a magical ability to persuade without annoying the crap out of people.

4. Editorial content.

Many businesses (and people) write articles and other content for magazines and other publications (both in print and online). Well, they should, that is. Getting your words under somebody else's masthead lends credibility and prestige to your name. It builds your reputation as an expert in your field. Again, those words will need to be well crafted. In fact, you probably won't get published if they're not.

I'm not kidding about the importance of doing all this, and doing it well. Perhaps the only thing worse than not getting your message out there is hashing that message so badly that people actually think you're talking about something else (or worse still, they have no idea what you're talking about at all).

Here's some ideas for working all of the above into a STRATEGY. (Yes, you need one.)

 A. Think about what your business really is. Where do you fit into the life of your customer? How will you change their lives? Or, better, how will understanding your customers change you?

B. Get advice. Find a writer who can look at all the aspects of your written content, talk with you and your team, understand you and your business. Then let them at it for a while. You'll see improvements from day one.

C. Get help on any of the above. Don't have time to write a blog? Get it written for you. Why not put out a regular newsletter? Include your market commentary, talk about local events. Send it to your client list. Send it to your leads. Do it regularly. A good writer will even be able to suggest topics and ideas, making it easy for you to get good content out there regularly.

The internet age has reinforced the importance of writing. Google seeks out good writing and grammar in their search. It's more important than ever. Do it well, and do seek help if you need it.

It's also a lot of fun to tell stories. Make yours great.

Connecting with clients in a glossy way

When I'm sitting at a cafe and observing the world and all its delights, I often also peruse the pages of real estate magazines, and one of the things I've noticed is that some real estate brands put in more effort than others. Sure, they all have colour photos of beautiful properties that make me go deep verdant with envy, but some are more glossy, some are more stylish, and some even go the extra mile to include editorial content.

It's one thing to flick casually through a bunch of properties that you may or may not be in the market for, but its another thing entirely for a magazine to capture your attention for minutes at a time while you read the CEO's thoughts, or a lifestyle editorial on a local attraction or event. All that eyeball time, with the brand's logo in your face!

Given the relative ease of publishing these days, having a magazine is basically essential for a successful real estate brand. Having great content is just as important, and not just properties, written articles that engage with your audience. Harcourts and Jellis Craig, as seen above, are particularly fine examples of real estate brands that do this well.

You could say that without written content, your magazine is only doing half its job. But you need good writing, and good writers, and it's imperative that any published copy is well written, reads well, and achieves your objectives, because it will be in circulation for a lot longer than a Facebook post. If you want to do this without taking up all your time, get in touch and we can write it for you!