How to write up your success story, by Ben Place (Mexia)

1. Why is Story telling Important
A story can make a complex business or technical issue much easier to understand and comprehend at a deep level even by a
lay person.
In the context of describing a problem for which you have a solution, or a unique value proposition, it is ideal to create a
visceral reaction in your audience - they can actually "feel" the pain associated with the problem, and that they feel the
"relief" associated with your solution.
There is no other way to do this other than storytelling. Your stories need to have a hero, the customer, and a villain, usually a
big problem that needs to be solved. Your company provides the solution or cure the problem, and you can be the wise
mentor or guide in the solution process.
Great storytellers engage the mind of their audience, and they learn how to touch their hearts. In all good stories, the plot
goes through a period of conflict and then conflict resolution. You need to do that in business to engage your audience
whether it is a customer or a prospective investor. When you tell a story in this way, you can stir the imagination of your
audience, and get them to understand what you do at a much deeper level.
The Hero’s Journey
You’ve seen this model for story telling in many successful movies like: The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, The
Lion King, The Matrix, …just to name a few.
Identity – The start of the journey Who is the Customer + What did they want to achieve
Turn Against the Status Quo (TASQ) – What was the problem / Impact to the business / What did they need to change?
Struggle – What was the challenge – why had it not been solved before – where had others failed?
Insight – What unique tool or insight did you use that made overcoming this challenge easier? (What was your solution)
Resolution – What is the fantastic business result the customer now has
An effective customer success story takes the reader through the problem, finding a solution, and explaining the results in a
way that reach out to potential customers, letting them know that you offer just the thing to handle the problem they’re
facing. The great thing about them is that they can be shown off anywhere.
Writing a Success Story

2. The Template
Hot Tips
 Include pictures as often as possible if
you have them.
 If you can, use video because it makes
it much more believable (especially if
you are telling a client story).
 Make sure the TASQ/unique insight is
something that your audience has
experienced and sees the benefit to
solving.
Problem
• The problem is pretty central to any customer success story. Without it, what’s driving
them to work with you? This part of your story begins with your customer facing a
situation in which they’re facing a problem, or unsatisfied with other solutions they’ve
tried.
Theme
• The theme is the central point that runs through the success story. It should be part of the
narrative to suggest other options presented to your customer and why they didn’t work
out, and why their final choice was the right one.
Solution
• The solution provides an opportunity to go into detail. Since it’s a success story, we know
that things worked out in the end. But how did the customer get there? Include details
about features that helped them reach the solution, giving you the chance to highlight
features and other aspects you want potential clients to know about.
Results
• Explain how the outcome benefited the customer. You can include unplanned benefits
that were a surprise and delight to the customer, while re-iterating what it was that
pleased them about working with you.

3. Want more Inspiration?
Microsoft Customer Stories
https://customers.microsoft.com/en-
us/home?sq=&ff=&p=0
More Reading on Storytelling
https://www.inc.com/patrick-henry/why-being-a-
good-storyteller-can-make-you-a-great-
businessperson.html?cid=search
http://www.nicholasreese.com/persuasive-
storytelling/
https://www.inc.com/heather-r-morgan/the-science-
behind-storytelling-every-salesperson-needs-to-
know.html?cid=search