What's Your Story?

Before you can effectively create and stream your organization's filmed story on your website, you have to know what that story is and what it is not. Your organization's physical history and its day-to-day operations are not its story, rather they are a chronological and methodical overview of how you arrived at where you are today. Although this can be interesting, informative and—if briefly treated in the film—interesting, it is not the heart of the story that you want and need to tell.

The heart of the filmed story that you want to tell—if firmly grasped and constantly referred to during the course of your film—is the engine that will drive your film and keep people watching it, as opposed to them taking a cursory glance, or simply turning it off. The secret of your story is this: what does your product or service mean? That's another way of asking: what profound effect does your product or service have on those who use it? This is the key. Find this and unlock your story.

Rule 1: Meaning produces emotion. And if you can produce an emotional reaction in the person viewing your film via the meaning of your product, that emotion will spur that viewer to action. Without meaning, the viewer will most likely yawn and move on.

Remember, when streaming films from your website, brevity and powerful meaning will result in web hits and views. And that means more, better, faster business.