Panel Discussion at the WIT Regatta Conference - Vancouver, BC

I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at the Women in Technology (WIT) Regatta in Vancouver, a 5-day event that celebrates and supports women in the tech industry. Our session, "Tell It Like It Is: The Art of Storytelling in Business," received the largest turnout and was even voted as the best session of the conference!

Panelists:

Jordan Bower, Nancy Loadman, Kristy Gardner
Moderated by Ian Davis, organized by Laura Sukorokoff (both from Hyperwallet)

The discussion centered around how storytelling influences both our professional lives and our personal brands. Each panelist shared their unique perspective on how storytelling has shaped their career and how others can harness its power to develop their own brand. For me, storytelling has been key in public relations, social media, influencer marketing, and brand marketing.

One of the key reflections I took away from the discussion was realizing that while I often tell my story, I haven’t been as intentional as I should be about crafting it for specific audiences. Storytelling isn’t just about narrating your experiences; it's about editing and presenting your story with purpose.

From Panel to Workshop: Applying Storytelling to Campaigns

After the panel, we split into smaller workshop groups to dive deeper into applying storytelling to real-world campaigns. I led a session where we explored how storytelling can be integrated into a campaign process from start to finish.

What we discovered was that story doesn’t come into play until the foundational work is done. Here’s how the process unfolded:

1. Discovery Phase:

Before the story can emerge, it’s essential to set the stage. This phase is all about the groundwork:

Define clear goals: Are you aiming for brand exposure, new customers, or something else?
Identify your audience: Who are you speaking to, and what do they care about?
Establish logistics and timelines: What’s the timeframe for your campaign, and what resources will you need?

Once these elements are in place, you can move forward with purpose and clarity.

2. Development Phase:

With your foundation set, it's time to think about the message. This is where your story begins to take shape:

Determine what you want to say based on the goals and audience you've identified.
Consider what your audience wants to hear, addressing their needs and pain points.
Decide on the channels for communication—whether it's social media, email, or internal communications.

By this point, you’ll have a clear sense of the why and who, and storytelling can start to inform the what and how.

3. Crafting the Story:

Now comes the exciting part—bringing the story to life. With everything in place, your story can be developed into engaging content:

I recommended using Google Slides as a simple yet powerful tool to storyboard the campaign. This approach helps everyone involved—from creative teams to marketers—stay aligned and collaborate seamlessly.
Storyboarding allows ideas to flow and provides a visual roadmap for your content. It’s an ideal way to see how the story aligns with the campaign goals and make changes as you go.

4. Editing and Refinement:

Once the initial story is mapped out, the next step is editing:

Align your content with your brand voice and campaign objectives. This step ensures consistency across all elements.
Get feedback from your team and refine the story to better resonate with your target audience. Editing isn’t just about cleaning up the language—it's about aligning your narrative with the campaign’s vision.

At this point, you should feel confident that the story you’re telling fits your goals, your audience, and your brand’s identity.

5. Reporting & Analysis:

Setting clear benchmarks at the beginning is critical to understanding whether your campaign was successful:

Assign someone to track metrics—such as website traffic, conversions, and engagement. This accountability helps you stay on top of progress and make adjustments as needed.
Use your reporting data not just to measure success, but to learn. Ask your team what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved. This feedback loop ensures continuous learning and improvement.

6. Application of Learnings:

Lastly, it’s vital to apply what you’ve learned through your assessment. Even if a campaign hits its goals, there's always room for refinement:

Iterate and improve: If something didn’t work, make it better next time. And if something did work, double down on it and see how it can perform even better.

Campaign Process Overview:

Discovery: Set goals, identify your audience, and plan logistics.
Development: Craft your message based on what your audience wants to hear and choose the right communication channels.
Channels: Select where and how to share your story (e.g., social media, email, etc.).
Story: Develop a compelling story that resonates with your audience.
Editing: Refine your content to align with brand identity and campaign goals.
Reporting: Track performance and gather insights.
Launch: Go live and keep an eye on the campaign’s progress.
Assess: Evaluate outcomes and refine strategies for future campaigns.

By understanding where storytelling fits into the overall process, you can create campaigns that are not only strategic but also deeply engaging for your audience.

Women In Tech Conference: Storytelling Panel