By Lea Tolstrup, Communication Lead
This is the story of my work life as a Communication Lead. But it’s not only about what I do or why I do it. It’s about powerful storytelling, modern consumer behaviour and how I believe that new narratives will shape the next chapter of SuperOffice history.
If I had to explain my job in a single sentence, it would be this: I tell stories. In case you’re looking for a longer explanation, I can tell you that I create external and internal communication and work on a lot of projects that each require a different skillset such as copywriting, coordinating, editing etc. But no matter what project I’m working on, storytelling is always at its core. Lucky for me, I love telling stories.
My love for stories has been around for as long as I can remember. I’m a true and passionate nerd when it comes to contemporary culture, and I love everything from movies to TV and modern literature. Prior to my career in tech, I was writing for different magazines and newspapers, I did public speaking on popular culture and outside work I edit an online magazine for short stories.
To sum up, I love being surrounded by good stories, and I am lucky to live in a world full of insightful, shocking, funny, and marvellous narratives. Even though it’s easy to feel like every tale has already been told, I don’t think we will ever run out. Because I believe that everyone has their own personal achieve of experiences and an individual point-of-view – our very own story just waiting to be told.
“So, how does this passion for stories fit in at a software company?” you might wonder. The answer is that what might seem like an odd coupling is in fact a perfect match. While CRM solutions and storytelling seem far apart, the relationship between the two is growing stronger day by day. Here’s why.
Traditionally marketing was all about the product. There’s no doubt that it took communicative skills to get the word out there, but those words were very specific to the product and what the product could do.
Today that’s no longer the case. Of course, a huge part of corporate communication is still explaining the product and the solutions it provides, but there’s even more to it. The modern costumer wants to know not just what you do, but who you are.
The ways we think of- and interact with the companies around us are changing, and we are looking for answers to questions like: Who are you? What makes you special? And what are your values? To answer these questions, you need storytelling.
Of course, SuperOffice is no exception to this new rule of consumer behaviour. As a company, we need to reach more people, tell them about our products and services; but we need more than that, we need stories about our beliefs.
This is where I come in. In the job as Communication Lead, I tell stories about who we are and what we want, using my skills to paint a bigger, wordier picture of SuperOffice. For our external communication this includes writing blogposts from the SuperOffice point-of-view, looking back at our colourful history and sharing our thoughts on not only software, but also sustainability, diversity, leadership and so much more.
I love this part of the job because it allows me to write and to apply my university background to break down complex concepts. Topics such as inclusion and sustainable workplaces have a special place in my heart and looking forward, it’s my vision that important stories such as these become a bigger part of the SuperOffice narrative. I want people to know not only what we do, but what we stand for. Because as you might know, at SuperOffice we believe that relationships matter.
What we tell others about us is crucial of course, but storytelling is not only about the stories we tell the world – it’s also about what we tell ourselves. As you might have realized by now, I believe that stories are powerful and the stories we tell ourselves are no exception. For this reason, I always try to add an element of storytelling to all internal communication. Of course, informing my colleagues about new initiatives, customers and updates is hardly Shakespeare. However, reminding them of the importance of their job, cheering for their success, and sharing content and tips to make their workday easier are all stories I am happy to tell.
Coming from a background in literature and culture, it wasn’t exactly in the cards that I would work in tech. My career path has often been subject to wonder and surprise, but this just reminds me of the presumptions of our industry and the importance of creating new narratives.
Luckily, there are still so many things left to tell the world about the industry and about SuperOffice. We have a rich history and now we’re starting a new chapter by adding more people, reaching new customers, and developing our products and services. In addition, we are going the extra mile to make a positive impact on the planet and on the people around us. But all that is a whole different story for a different day, and I can’t wait to tell you.
Kind regards,
Lea