If I were to ask someone: "Tell me something about your best friend?". Then very likely I get a story about;

• who that person is
• what makes him so typical
• what he once said or did

And very likely a big smile appears of its own accord on the face of the person telling the story.

At that moment we make as accurate a description as possible of a person on the basis of the emotional feelings we have about them and as we have known that person for years. On the basis of that story I will immediately form a picture of this person in my head.

This story will never be about the man's height, width or weight. Or what clothes he wears, which school he attended in the past and what his monthly income is.

But if I ask someone to tell me something about the company he/she works for, then I get a very different story. And I see the same when I look at many company presentations, brochures and websites. Year of founding, number of employees, location of the company, products made there and the customers the company serves. All facts that are not incorrect but that say nothing about the 'character' or the 'DNA' of the company.

And yet when we decide to work with a company or to go and work for a company, the year of founding, the number of employees and the turnover will rarely be decisive. Of course the company must have a good product. But the deciding factor in a good relationship with a company as a customer, supplier or as an employee is based on the character of the company. What does the company stand for? What does the company consider important? How do we treat one another as employees among ourselves and with customers/suppliers?

Just as a person's DNA determines his/her character, the company DNA will do so for the company. That makes the company unique, that makes people want to work for that specific company.

A few questions that can help you on your way to determining the company DNA:

• Compare the company to a car? Why do you make that comparison? What are the qualities of that brand or type of car that make you draw that comparison.
• Compare the company to a well-known person? Why do you choose precisely that well-known person?
• Is the company a man or a woman? How old is he/she?
• What do the values the company holds mean for employees, suppliers and customers?

Over the coming weeks I will give more information about Corporate Storytelling. But the company DNA is the part that people will always remember. More than all the rest.

So go in search of the company DNA, the character of the company and use that in the communication and of course in your company presentation.

Need help with your next presentation and determining the core message of your presentation?

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Best of luck!