My friend Sean interned at a sewage company as a requirement to complete his civil engineering degree.
“How long have you done this type work?” Sean asked the crusty old owner.
“I’ve spent my whole life in sewage,” he answered.
Sean grimaced at the thought. “Really? Your whole life?”
The old man flashed Sean a knowing smile. “Son, I learned a long time ago that shit is just gold that floats.”
Not only does the old man’s answer contain the best business advice that I’ve ever heard, but it also proves that every business, no matter how bland, pedantic, or revolting it is, has a story to tell. He understood that people pay him handsomely to make their messy problems go away, and their reasons may be the beginnings of great stories.
Your customers can probably solve their problems themselves, but for some reason, they choose not to. They might not have the time, resources, or the intestinal fortitude to wade through human waste, but either way, each reason is a potential cornerstone for a B2B story.
The next time someone laments about your product being too boring for business stories, tell ‘em the story of the old man. Perhaps you can find your own gold that floats.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress