In both business and in life, your story is what sets you apart from others. The trials, tribulations, obstacles, and accomplishments you’ve experienced are one of a kind; your story is truly unique.

While you may not think that your story is all that impressive or interesting to follow, if presented correctly, the impact can be astounding. Furthermore, it can be the make or break it strategy that propels, and sustains, your success.

Having a great story is not just about how you first came up with the idea, the meaning behind the name and the logo, or the failures you faced prior to achieving success. While this can absolutely play into your story, you don’t need to have this in order for your story to be compelling.

“The story, more than anything else, is what connects you and me and everyone out there to the thing you’re building.” – How I Built This

Your story tells the world why you exist. It will share qualities about your company that cannot be simply found on a search engine. In our industry, for instance, there is not just one real estate agent per in your area — there are likely hundreds, maybe thousands. While the process of buying a home is systematically the same with any agent, the experience is not. So why should someone work with you over someone else? This is where your story comes into play.

To help curate and really understand what your story entails, ask yourself (or your business partners) these questions: 

• Why do you do what you do? 
• Why do your clients choose to work with you? 
• Why do they stay with you? 
• What sets you apart from competitors? 

Your story is the greatest and least expensive piece of marketing that you can share with your current clients and target market, and helps to secure buy-in with prospective clients.

All that being said, take some time this week and get really granular on your story. Consult with your business partners and maybe even your team members, come up with those unique qualities that set you apart from other competitors, and make sure you are all on the same page when it comes to promoting or sharing your story.