It’s no secret that a person who talks endlessly about themselves is a bore. For years, businesses have been guilty of this “look at me” approach when it comes to positioning and messaging. Mission statements, inward value manifestos and the overuse of self-serving superlatives result in a dead end of unfocused and uninspiring brand messaging.

But the use of narrative in marketing is quietly and slowly gaining traction. While storytelling has helped move the needle away from traditional messaging approaches, narrative addresses the more strategic role industry vision and leadership play in the growth and success of an organization.

It’s simple: Companies that win are category leaders. They define the market, shift perceptions and play an integral role in advancing the industries they serve. These companies see change and disruption, and they embrace it. Through a strategic narrative, they rise above the noise and clutter — not by talking about themselves, but by articulating a new vision for the industry. All great cultures have used strategic narratives to frame a unique view of the world, articulate a clear vision for a better tomorrow and chart a course of action that supports their aspirations and beliefs.

The same holds true in business. Look at Ford’s vision for the automobile as the pathway to accessible mass transportation in a nation of great distances. Or Apple’s “computer for the rest of us” narrative and Steve Jobs’ well-documented vision that inspired the company’s breakthrough innovations in music, smartphones and personal communications. It was narrative driving the visions that resulted in changing the world.

Let’s look at how strategic narratives impact forward-thinking companies and what they do by consciously driving category success.

Different Thinking

The thought process of creating a meaningful and selfless industry narrative is profound. Stepping back and looking at mega-trends, industry disruption and even the shortcomings of the industry is something most business leaders think about but never articulate and share. Shifting from proclaiming yourself a leader (by what you do) to leading a new aspect of the market energizes and elevates the thinking of an organization. In fact, it’s often the CEO that gets the most excited about the possibilities of defining and owning a category as a business strategy.

Instant Differentiation

Strategic narratives focus on redefining existing categories or creating new ones, resulting in 100% unique messaging. Communicating an industry strategic narrative — through PR, content marketing and social media channels — is not only meaningful but also helps solve the “we sound like everybody else” conundrum.