Businesses do not just lose customers because people say no. They often lose them earlier, when people cannot quickly understand what they do, or later, when the experience is not memorable enough to bring them back.
That was the focus of Become The Obvious Choice, a two-day workshop hosted by STORY22 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London on 10 and 11 June.
The in-person event combined two practical business growth themes: StoryBrand messaging and Unreasonable Hospitality customer experience. Across the two days, attendees worked on how to explain their businesses more clearly, remove confusion from their marketing and create customer experiences that feel intentional, human and memorable.
Day One focused on StoryBrand, a messaging framework that helps businesses clarify what they offer, why it matters and why customers should choose them. Led with Dr J.J. Peterson, a StoryBrand expert and communication specialist, the session helped participants look closely at the words they use across their websites, sales conversations and marketing materials.
Rather than treating messaging as a branding exercise, the workshop focused on practical clarity. Attendees explored how to make their offer easier to understand, how to stop overwhelming potential customers and how to position their business as the guide in their customer’s story.
Day Two moved from what businesses say to how they make customers feel.
The Unreasonable Hospitality session explored the moments that happen after a customer says yes: the onboarding, the service, the follow-up, the difficult conversations and the overlooked touchpoints that often shape whether someone returns or recommends a business to others.
Participants looked at how small, thoughtful changes to a customer journey can build trust, loyalty and word-of-mouth growth. The session encouraged businesses to think beyond good service and consider how they could create experiences people genuinely remember.
For STORY22 co-founders Sonya Whittam and Julie Firth, the workshop brought together two parts of business that are often treated separately: marketing and customer experience.
“Clear messaging helps people understand why they should choose you, but customer experience determines whether they remember you, return to you and recommend you,” said Sonya Whittam. “This workshop was about bringing those two things together in a practical way, so business leaders could leave with clearer words and stronger ideas for the customer experience they want to create.”
The event reflected STORY22’s wider work with organisations across the UK and internationally, helping businesses clarify their messaging, align their marketing and improve the way customers experience their brand.
As markets become noisier and customer expectations continue to rise, STORY22 believes businesses need more than a strong product or service. They need a message people understand and an experience people talk about.
Become The Obvious Choice gave attendees the time, space and tools to work on both.
To find out more about STORY22’s workshops, messaging strategy and Unreasonable Hospitality coaching, visit www.story22.co.uk.
