Competition is fierce. Information is everywhere. If you’re not sharing the “Why” behind your business, then you’re probably being ignored. Your “Why” connects emotionally with your market, yet so many brands have no clear understanding of how to articulate their purpose—much less amplify it in a way that demands attention from customers.

At Round Table Companies, we specialize in storytelling as the driver of communication. While the majority of us have degrees in make believe, we’ve directed our talents in entertainment (writing, directing, producing, acting, illustration) at the causes that drive people and businesses. And the lessons we’ve been learning over the last 20 years can be directed at traditional brands to help you access the emotional component that drives your business and forces people to have a genuine reaction to your products and services.

Below are 10 short writing exercises to help you and your core staff kick off the story conversation around your business in a way that people can emotionally react to:

1. Describe a defining moment that forced you to determine the kind of employees you work to attract.

2. Describe a defining moment that taught you what kind of clients you intentionally work to NOT attract.

3. Describe what you consider your company’s greatest victory that is not tied to bottom line results.

4. Describe a path you went down that was devastating at the time and forced you to redefine your company. What was the lesson learned that redefined you?

5, Write in a single sentence how you impact the heart and soul of your average customer.

6. Write in a single sentence how you impact the heart and soul of your average employee.

7. Write out your vision for the internal culture of your company.

8. If your company was 5 times as impactful as it is today, what would it look like and how would you measure your success?

9. What kind of work do you need to stop accepting to be more in alignment with your vision for the company’s future?

10. What kind of customers are you desperate to serve because you know you can have a positive impact on their life?

As you work on these questions, consider that, as with all writing, the point is to create a first draft to work from, not to be brilliant at the onset. These are the types of questions I throw at new clients, and they are intended to be difficult to answer quickly. In fact, most of our clients don’t find clarity with these questions until their third or fourth month of working with us. So recognize that this isn’t easy work. (If it is, you’re not doing it correctly!)

Give yourself time to write your initial responses. Ask your core staff to do the same and then share the responses in a setting where you can give them your full attention. See what resonates. When the room ignites from a single statement shared, pay attention to the flow of energy around those reactions. In fact, go ahead and share your favorite pieces in the comment section below. We can follow the energy and entertain an open workshop of responses.

See you on the other side!