A Strong Start Usually Creates a Strong Finish

Many of us have heard the phrase, “It’s not how you start, but it’s how you finish.” This is rarely more true than in sports. In fact, it’s most true in sports; but there are countless exceptions to that unwritten rule. Stories are one of them.

You have experienced this before. When you read a book or watch a movie, you want that first part to be engaging. Whether through action, heartbreak, or merely a nice setup for the rest of the story, there is something in us that wishes for us to be thrust into the story.

I remember a few years back when Mission: Impossible III came out (2006 to be exact), my friend and I sat there watching the opening scene. Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt) cuffed helplessly to a chair, sitting in front of his wife, who was also cuffed to a chair. Her mouth was duct taped shut. Next to her: bad guy with gun in hand. He gave Hunt 10 seconds to tell him where the “rabbit’s foot” (nuclear bomb) was or he would shoot her. It is a searing moment that thrusts you fully into the movie. Once the opening scene was over and the trigger had been pulled, my friend and I looked at each other and with excitement said, “Here we go.”

{DISCLAIMER: This scene is relatively violent and can get pretty intense. Viewer discretion...or something like that.}

Setting the Tone with the Beginning

The beginning of that movie set the tone for the rest of it. The beginning of your story should set the tone for the rest of your consumer’s experience. When they step inside your place of business (physically or digitally), they should be wowed by something, whether that be the interior design, the great customer service, the UI experience, or something else. That moment they experience at the beginning should be an indicator for how their entire experience will be. You won’t get it right every time, but those times should just be the exceptions.

Setting the tone for your business starts with those opening moments. Think of Chick-fil-a. Not only are you greeted with a “Welcome to Chick-fil-a,” but there is also a smile attached to that greeting. This is not always the case when you arrive somewhere else. They may say, “Welcome to {INSERT BUSINESS NAME HERE},” but there is no smile or genuine gratitude shown to the customer. People who are taking their time and money to come to you want to feel appreciated for showing up and spending their money with you.

So what is the final part of the Chick-fil-a experience? We all know it. “My pleasure.” It is a phrase that is now being replicated by other businesses because they have discovered the impact that closing phrase has left on customers.

Your Story Opener Should Be Strong

Start your story off strong. Let people know why you are in business. Better yet, give them an initial experience that shows them why it’s a great idea to come to you for whatever they are coming to you for. And let that moment carry through to the end of their experience.

Keep in mind that every customer experience is an opportunity for a new story. Capturing those stories are pivotal for businesses. Capturing customer experience testimonials is one of the things we do here at BassTrapp Media.

Whether you are looking to capture those individual moments in order to utilize customers as brand ambassadors (storytellers for your business) or you need to capture the heart of your business so it can be expressed to those coming to you, BassTrapp Media focuses on the story side of business. Let us capture your story.