Any writer will tell you that no tale could be complete without the right cast of characters. How these characters present themselves is always different, but the same basic figures appear somehow in every story. And, they each fill different roles to complete the narrative. This character map is something which you can apply when you’re telling the story of your company. In fact, it’d be fair to say that the characters you put into this story can even dictate your success or lack of. But, you can’t get this right if you don’t know who those characters should be. Keep on reading, then, to find out about the cast your company can’t do without.
The hero
At the center of every story is, of course, the hero. These are the people we follow, and the ones we always route for. They’re the protagonist whom the storyteller puts up a tree and throws rocks at. The success of the narrative then depends on that character’s ability to get down. From a business sense, your heroes are your colleagues. These are the people you want your customers to warm to. They’re the heart of your story, as it were, and they’re the face of your company which everyone sees. Of course, just having a hero isn’t enough. You also need to think about how you can make them sympathetic. Social media is a fantastic option here. It allows you to build those colleague personalities. Customer service training could also ensure your heroes win customers over every time.
The sidekick
When you look at your favorite literature, you’ll realize that no hero acts alone. Whether it’s Anne of Green Gables with her Diana or Alice with her mad hatter; there’s always someone by the hero’s side. This character usually acts as a support method for the hero and helps them to complete their quest. From a business perspective, your sidekicks are typically the companies you outsource from. Your customers may not know them as such, but that doesn’t mean you can do without. These sidekicks can help your heroes out, remember. A company like Lexicon could swoop in and help with IT issues which stand to unravel your business narrative. Outsourced marketing could be the reason the public hear about your heroes in the first place. So, you see, the sidekick is another crucial aspect of your story.
The villain
No story is complete without a villain. From Hook to Voldemort, heroes need to save the world from something. More often than not, the villain is the thing which makes a hero look so appealing in the first place. It should go without saying that your business villains are your competitors. Of course, you can’t outright villainize them, but you can still make this work. By offering price comparisons or practicing better business methods, you can set yourself against bad companies. You won’t even need to say anything outright. That could see customers picking your company off the shelf all day long.
