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Whether we admit it or not we all love a good story don’t we? Plot and intrigue simply get us going as a species. It’s almost as though by hearing others tell stories it helps us process our own, and for that reason alone we love them: we can’t stop hearing them and we can’t stop telling them. This is why the companies we love to buy from, the companies with huge followings and passionate fan bases, are doing so much more than selling widget ‘X’ at a fair price. They’re telling us a story that we resonate with, something with plot and sizzle. Remember those L.L. Bean Catalogs you used to thumb through as a kid? Those were telling millions of people a story they wanted to hear. A story about walks in crisp winter snow with the family or fireside chats with our significant other, all made possible by high quality fleece and Egyptian cotton.

I’ve never been to Teavana but apparently they’re doing a wonderful job of telling their story. How do I know? A close friend of mine recently showed up at the office with a brand new tea set in his hands and a fantastic tale on his lips. He’s a hard core coffee drinker but before I knew it he was spinning tales of ancient chinese tea secrets, the benefits of steeping in cast iron pots, and the fact that the freshness of loose leaf tea’s can be examined with the naked eye. He was absolutely raving and couldn’t wait to try out some of his new teas. Three days later I’m at my brothers house when out of nowhere he says, “You’ll never believe what I bought today!” Before I can blink he’s telling me the same story and letting me hold the beautifully designed cast iron pot, cups, and saucers. The enchantment was all around us, I found myself dreaming of sipping tea with the Dali Lama and other people full of wisdom and vitality.

Any company can make up a story as part of some marketing intiative but they’re quickly found out as frauds (especially with the rise of the internet where information travels faster than lightening). The best companies absolutely believe and embody their stories. They feel it down to their toes. For them marketing isn’t something that’s slapped on at the end and design isn’t an after-thought. Everything about the business is done intentionally, each piece a chapter in their grand narrative. Moleskine, The North Face, TOMS Shoes, and 37 Signals all have a story to tell and they’re doing a heck-of-a-job of telling it.

How about you? What story is your company telling?

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Two great books on this topic are Design by Tom Peters and All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin.

Photo Credit: vociferous.