--- title: "Back to the Basics: The Story Customers Tell Themselves" description: Critical to an understanding of story in business is how customers tell themselves the stories that define them. image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/shutterstock_storytelling-1.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/back-to-the-basics-the-story-customers-tell-themselves#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # Back to the Basics: The Story Customers Tell Themselves January 4th, 2022 2 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_storytelling-1.jpg?width=637&height=425&name=shutterstock_storytelling-1.jpg) Stories are universal. No culture has survived without them. Stories are widely recognized as an essential part of human cognitive development. As social animals who crave connection with others, we find that stories—whether told orally, written on paper, or conveyed on film—are our most immediate way to enter the imaginative minds of others. As toddlers, when we listened to someone telling a tale, we built emotional bonds with others while developing empathy, discovering morality and ethical behavior, and learning the ability to use language to express our thoughts and feelings. Business and commerce continue to be fundamental ways we interact outside of our family. And while we may not fully realize it, stories are an inescapable part of how we communicate professionally too.   ## Mastering the Art of Effective Storytelling for Business Critical to an understanding of story in business is how customers tell themselves the stories that define them (their worldview) and how these relate to the products and services they use. For example, people using Apple products might tell themselves a story like this: *“I like great design and products that are easy to use, so Apple is the brand I buy.”* This story intersects perfectly with the story that Apple tells about its products. Similarly, a mother tells herself a story: *“I want the best for my family, so I buy only organic food even though I know it is more expensive.”* When the story that you tell customers matches the story that customers tell themselves, your business is in alignment. However, all too often, companies are completely out of alignment with their customers, which makes for difficult work. It is really tough (but not impossible) to convince someone to change their worldview and therefore the stories they tell themselves. If you sell organic food but emphasize its low cost, you’re out of alignment because people accept that organic costs more. Organic being expensive is a deeply embedded aspect of people’s worldview and it’s the story they tell themselves. Since spending more on food because you care about your family doesn’t square with seeking out cheaper prices, the company that sells lower-cost organic food will encounter difficulty. As storytellers, companies need to consider customers’ existing worldview as they work on the ways they communicate to the market. Drawing from some of my past blog posts, here are some stories that people tell themselves that align with the companies they patronize: “I love visiting new places. I’ve been to all 50 U.S. states and over 100 countries and territories. I enjoy traveling to remote places I’ve never been to before.” This, actually my very own story, framed why I was so excited to research an Antarctica expedition. Yes, I am a travel geek. Having visited six continents, I was eager to travel to the seventh. [Quark Expeditions’](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2014/01/how-inbound-marketing-got-me-to-antarctica.html) stories fit perfectly into my worldview. [OPEN Cycle](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/how-open-cycle-communicates-relentless-simplicity-to-customers): “Mountain biking is a big part of who I am, and I don’t mind paying $5,000 for the best bike there is.” [NOLA Buenos Aires](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2013/12/how-to-generate-sales-with-social-media-in-an-underground-business.html): “Small, exclusive restaurants that you can learn about only on social media are much more fun to visit.” Or consider other examples of stories that people tell themselves: *“A $900 Louis Vuitton bag is better than cheaper bags.”* *“Facebook is only for old people.”* *“Democrats are better at running the U.S. government than Republicans.” (OR) “Republicans are better at running the U.S. government than Democrats.”* *“I care about the environment, so I drive an electric car.”* To best align the stories that your organization tells as part of its marketing and sales content, you need to first understand the stories that your customers tell themselves. [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Marketing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Fanocracy%202e.jpg?width=1500&height=841&name=Fanocracy%202e.jpg) ### New 2nd Edition of Fanocracy Publishes Today: Your Human Connection in a Polarized, Noisy World July 14th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/new-2nd-edition-of-fanocracy-publishes-today-your-human-connection-in-a-polarized-noisy-world) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bunnies%20and%20bees.jpg?width=1500&height=823&name=bunnies%20and%20bees.jpg) ### Bunnies and Bees June 22nd, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/bunnies-and-bees) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HubSpot%2020th.jpeg?width=800&height=448&name=HubSpot%2020th.jpeg) ### Congratulations Team HubSpot for 20 Years of Helping Organizations Grow June 12th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/congratulations-team-hubspot-for-20-years-of-helping-organizations-grow) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/loss%20of%20serendipity.jpg?width=2026&height=1067&name=loss%20of%20serendipity.jpg) ### Algorithms Ate Serendipity: Bring Back Surprise to Spark True Fandom May 19th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/algorithms-ate-serendipity-bring-back-surprise-to-spark-true-fandom) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Modern%20marketing%20team.png?width=1774&height=887&name=Modern%20marketing%20team.png) ### RIP Middle Management in Marketing & PR April 23rd, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/rip-middle-management-in-marketing-pr) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Grokipedia%20SEO%20disrupted.jpg?width=1536&height=877&name=Grokipedia%20SEO%20disrupted.jpg) ### Grokipedia as a Backdoor to Getting Found in LLM AI Search February 23rd, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/grokipedia-as-a-backdoor-to-getting-found-in-llm-ai-search) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai_marketing_2x1.jpg?width=1536&height=768&name=ai_marketing_2x1.jpg) ### You + buyer knowledge x AI > them x AI February 17th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/you-buyer-knowledge-x-ai-them-x-ai) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Heavy%20Heavy%20Boston.jpg?width=2000&height=1103&name=Heavy%20Heavy%20Boston.jpg) ### The New Competitive Advantage February 11th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-new-competitive-advantage) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-01-28%20at%2011.48.35%20AM.png?width=1587&height=948&name=Screenshot%202026-01-28%20at%2011.48.35%20AM.png) ### Report Takeaways: Human-Centered Marketing in an Age of AI January 29th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/report-takeaways-human-centered-marketing-in-an-age-of-ai) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%202025.jpg?width=1435&height=972&name=DMS%202025.jpg) ### My Focus for 2026 and a Prediction December 19th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/my-focus-for-2026-and-a-prediction) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thumb_V2.png?width=1366&height=768&name=Thumb_V2.png) ### AI Book Trailer for Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead November 25th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/ai-book-trailer-for-marketing-lessons-from-the-grateful-dead) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Writers%20thrive%20in%20world%20of%20AI.png?width=1536&height=1024&name=Writers%20thrive%20in%20world%20of%20AI.png) ### How Writers Thrive in the Age of AI October 9th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/how-writers-thrive-in-the-age-of-ai) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-10-01%20at%2010.19.28%20AM.png?width=844&height=488&name=Screenshot%202025-10-01%20at%2010.19.28%20AM.png) ### New Sora 2 App Blurs the Boundaries Between AI Video and Reality October 1st, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/new-sora-2-app-blurs-the-boundaries-between-ai-video-and-reality) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20BM%20hybrid%202004.jpg?width=1432&height=966&name=DMS%20BM%20hybrid%202004.jpg) ### The Fandom Playbook: My New Book and Companion AI Chatbot September 24th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-fandom-playbook-my-new-book-and-companion-ai-chatbot) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_162669533.jpg?width=1500&height=996&name=shutterstock_162669533.jpg) ### From Transaction to Fandom September 3rd, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/from-transaction-to-fandom) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cracker%20Barrel.jpg?width=990&height=541&name=Cracker%20Barrel.jpg) ### Once You Put Your Product or Service into the World, it Belongs to your Fans August 28th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/once-you-put-your-product-or-service-into-the-world-it-belongs-to-your-fans) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Flax%20Dental.jpg?width=1540&height=1058&name=Flax%20Dental.jpg) ### The Simple Professional Services Website Makeover That Creates Fans August 11th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-professional-services-website-makeover-that-creates-fans) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/write%20compelling%20headlines.jpg?width=2248&height=1506&name=write%20compelling%20headlines.jpg) ### The Fine Art of Crafting a Not-Quite-Clickbait Headline August 1st, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-fine-art-of-crafting-a-not-quite-clickbait-headline) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Look%20away%20in%20Italy.jpg?width=1205&height=674&name=Look%20away%20in%20Italy.jpg) ### In Real Life July 23rd, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/in-real-life) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20Banner%20Option%202%20-%20LinkedIn%20_%20Facebook%20Sizing.png?width=1200&height=627&name=DMS%20Banner%20Option%202%20-%20LinkedIn%20_%20Facebook%20Sizing.png) ### How to Write and Publish a Book that Supercharges Your Personal Brand July 2nd, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/how-to-write-and-publish-a-book-that-supercharges-your-personal-brand) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/St%20Vincent%20Outside%20Lands%202015.jpg?width=1500&height=1185&name=St%20Vincent%20Outside%20Lands%202015.jpg) ### The Neuroscience of Fandom June 18th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-neuroscience-of-fandom) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jesse%20and%20fans.jpg?width=1126&height=748&name=Jesse%20and%20fans.jpg) ### Bots Don’t Build Fandom. People Do. June 9th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/bots-dont-build-fandom.-people-do) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Agentic%20AI%20Web.png?width=1536&height=1024&name=Agentic%20AI%20Web.png) ### The AI Agentic Web Is Disrupting Your Website June 4th, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-ai-agentic-web-is-disrupting-your-website) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HBO%20Max.png?width=720&height=480&name=HBO%20Max.png) ### Max, Once Named HBO Max, Rebranded as… HBO Max May 23rd, 2025|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/max-once-named-hbo-max-rebranded-as-hbo-max) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott" }, "dateModified" : "2026-01-13T16:43:39.704Z", "datePublished" : "2022-01-04T15:12:10.000Z", "headline" : "Back to the Basics: The Story Customers Tell Themselves", "image" : [ "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/shutterstock_storytelling-1.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/back-to-the-basics-the-story-customers-tell-themselves", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png" }, "name" : "David Meerman Scott" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person", "@type" : "Person", "description" : "Marketing and sales visionary, international bestselling author of 12 books, keynote speaker in 47 countries, and advisor to emerging companies.", "email" : "mailto:David@DavidMeermanScott.com", "image" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/DMS-Homepage-Featured.jpg", "jobTitle" : [ "Keynote Speaker", "Author", "Business Growth Strategist", "Marketing Advisor" ], "knowsAbout" : [ "Content Marketing", "Fandom Marketing", "Newsjacking", "Real-Time Marketing", "Public Relations", "Sales Strategy", "Business Growth" ], "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "sameAs" : [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Meerman_Scott", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott", "https://x.com/dmscott", "https://www.instagram.com/dmscott/" ], "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person" }, "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "SearchAction", "query-input" : "required name=search_term_string", "target" : { "@type" : "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/search?q={search_term_string}" } }, "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott" }, "dateCreated" : "2022-01-04T15:01:55", "datePublished" : "2022-01-04T10:12:10-0500", "description" : "Critical to an understanding of story in business is how customers tell themselves the stories that define them.", "headline" : "Back to the Basics: The Story Customers Tell Themselves", "image" : [ "https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/413105/shutterstock_storytelling-1.jpg" ], "inLanguage" : "en-us", "learningResourceType" : "article", "name" : "Back to the Basics: The Story Customers Tell Themselves", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://413105.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/413105/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png" }, "name" : "Freshspot Marketing LLC" }, "timeRequired" : "2 minutes", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/back-to-the-basics-the-story-customers-tell-themselves" } ```