Embrace Complex Stories, but Tell Them Simply.

Complication | noun

com·​pli·​ca·​tion | \ ˌkäm-plə-ˈkā-shən  \

Definition of complication

1a: COMPLEXITY, INTRICACY

especially: a situation or a detail of character complicating the main thread of a plot

b: a making difficult, involved, or intricate

c: a complex or intricate feature or element

Complex stories

You’re right. Your story is so much more than a three-part summary and a handful of bullet points. You didn’t just open the doors to your business overnight. How could a synopsis possibly encapsulate the years consumed with dreams, struggles, and triumphs that brought you here?

It can’t. Yet, more often than not, a synopsis is exactly what customers want to hear. Recent studies suggest that the average human attention span is under 8 seconds.

How are you supposed to tell your complicated story in 8 seconds?

Clarity from complexity

I liken complex stories to finely handcrafted watches. Behind their polished faces lay a series of complications: springs, cogs, pinions, and wheels, each so equally important. Yet, the sum of their movement is one simple powerful message. The time. Only a select few would ever give mind to the art, skill, and labor it took to bring us the time. Most will simply glance at it and say “How grand, it’s time for lunch!”

Your communications should function like that intricate watch. Your stories should all support a single, clear message.

It can be easy to confuse stories and key messages. And, many enthusiastic entrepreneurs and business owners find themselves lost in the excitement of their accomplishments or in the details of the struggles they’ve faced along the journey.

We encourage you to step back and remember that our customers primarily need two know two things. First, what is the problem your service or product is going to solve for them? And second, why are you the best company to trust for the job? That’s a much simpler story to tell.

But, that doesn’t mean the stories of the blood, the sweat, and the tears you put into your business go untold. Those stories show through your company values and in the quality and craft of your work.

A strength at Boileau Communications is our ability to create understanding from complex stories and situations. We understand and appreciate the complications and come alongside our clients to help them share their message with the world. One of our favorite experiences is taking in those stories, details, and values and crafting a clear message that resonates completely with your audience.