An important aspect of motorcycle care is maintaining your suspension. A good suspension will soften your ride, ensure your wheels stay in contact with the road, and generally make the motorcycle more comfortable. There are various types of suspension kits for motorcycles that allow riders to tune their bike to their riding style, whether they want to cruise, compete, tour, or relax. To maintain the suspension of your voiceover and ensure the comfort of your listeners, your riding style should take the form of storytelling.

To clarify, when we say “story” we mean the event and emotions that happen during a user’s experience. Stories are intrinsically emotional, which is what makes them so memorable to consumers. But in a world full of stories, how can you make yours stand out from the rest? Simon Sinek, motivational speaker and author, encourages businesses to harness the power of why, how, and what, respectively, when crafting stories.

Why

Why refers to the core belief of your business. To illustrate this point, Sinek uses Apple as a stand out example of this method. Apple’s core belief is: “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently.” Just as this core belief is at the center of your business, it should also be at the center of your voiceover’s story. For your listener and voice talent alike, the core belief serves as the hook that grabs and retains their attention while leaving them wanting more. 

How

How refers to how the business fulfills that core belief. Drawing on Apple once again, Sinek says Apple fulfills its core belief by stating: “The way we challenge the status quo is by making products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly.” Your business’s how statement provides substance and credibility to your core belief (which tends to be somewhat vague but engaging) successfully providing the line to your hook. 

What

What refers to what the company does to fulfill that core belief. Apple concludes the story with the following what statement: “We just happen to make computers. Want to buy one?” The nonchalance of this question works as the sinker by empowering the listener with a call to action that builds on the why and how while implying, “Come be apart of something greater than yourself.” It also empowers your voice talent by giving them a goal to build up to throughout their performance.

Formulating Your Voiceover Story

Each of Sinek’s examples about Apple serve to create the story of the company, but it all hinges on the why behind the company. If Apple were to miss this important first step, its story would be: “We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. Want to buy one?” Technically speaking, there’s nothing wrong with these statements, but they don’t provide the buy-in the customer needs to get excited about Apple and its products. 

The same process should be applied to your business and once you determine your business’s why statement, it should act as the foundation for all your voiceovers. To continue enhancing your story, the proper selection of voice talent will harness the emotions of your story and evoke those emotions in your audience, maintaining the suspension needed for a comfortable ride. 

When producing a voiceover project, why, how, and what can be a lot to think about, especially for a short form voiceover project. But always remember to start with why because, as Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Are you interested in blipping the throttle of your latest voiceover project? Do you need assistance articulating the why statement of your business? Give us a call at 701-232-3393 or visit www.hiredgums.com/contact.