Whether your business sells B2C or B2B, your customers are people. And people love stories.

Do a Google Search for “Brand story,” and you’ll see a plethora of books, articles, videos and more, all on crafting the right story for your business. It can be overwhelming.

What’s an Uncopyable marketer to do? Consider the power of simply being authentic.

Mark Osterstock is the president of a successful machine technology company, Q-Mark Manufacturing Inc.  He’s been sending a monthly newsletter to customers and prospects for several years. They’re not written with the expectation of a response, and he doesn’t usually get any. But in September, that changed. He tried something different when he sent a newsletter before the huge trade show his company was exhibiting in. (He gave me the okay to share, and YOU get the benefit of his generosity.) Mark told me:

We rarely get direct feedback from our newsletters, but several people were moved enough by the story to reply with their own supportive comments.  One person stopped by our booth late in the day and asked “Who is the guy who wrote about trimming Barbie’s hair?

For the first time, the company newsletter generated multiple responses. Even better, it brought prospects (MOOSE) to Q-Mark’s booth at a certain mega-show called IMTS, held in Chicago this past September.

New prospects will lead to new customers, more sales and an increase Q-Mark’s bottom line.

I could describe the newsletter, but honestly, it’s so well-written, I’ll let you read it for yourself:

Dear Reader,

You may not know this, but I’m a tool & die maker. I learned the trade from my father. Beginning in my early teens, he taught me precision metalworking while I worked at this twelve-man tool & die shop in Southern California. I helped him make dies that trimmed Barbie’s eyelashes and hair (toymaker Mattel was just down the street). Other dies made helicopter parts destined for Vietnam. We made parts that flew on Apollo space capsules. And so much more, all precision machined, all productive.
Today, Q-Mark has amazing machinists who are far more skilled than I. Combined, we have so much manufacturing know-how that we can product just about anything.

Some of these professionals will be in our booth #135501 at IMTS in Chicago, September 10-15. Please stop by. You can see all the things we make, and meet the people who make them. It would be a privilege to greet you, and personally show you around.
Hope to see you at the show!

Sincerely,
Mark Osterstock
President, Q-Mark Manufacturing Inc.

In his newsletter, Mark told his story in an interesting, relatable and meaningful way. When I asked how it felt to write the personal opening, he said “it was easy!”

Being genuine and authentic doesn’t have to be hard.  Mark’s company manufactures “styli and accessories for the metrology and machine tool industries.” Facts and features prove their products are superior to the competition. But again, no matter what the industry, people do business with people. That might seem obvious, but how many marketing pieces do you see touting the wonderfulness of a particular product or service in “corporate-speak?”

We’re all people. Yes, we’re makers, sellers and buyers, intent on doing business. But beyond work, we’re dads, moms, sisters, brothers…and so much more. Going beyond the facts is the best way to create a personal connection.

Mark Osterstock has a story.

You have a story, too. Don’t be afraid to tell it.

(I’d love to hear your successes: please email me with YOUR results at kay@theadventure.com.)

Link to Q-Mark Manufacturing’s full newsletter here.