We’ve been telling stories as a society before we could read and write.  The petroglyphs scattered across the Southwest are only one set of reminders of our strong desire to share our experiences.

Whether it’s a shared anecdote between strangers, a familiar family tale repeated at the dinner table or a good book passed on to a friend, people connect and re-connect through stories.  These stories reverberate throughout our collective past and will continue long into the future.

Certainly, the way we share our stories is changing radically — through text messages, on Facebook, via Twitter and through e-Books, Web sites and on YouTube.  However, our desire to tell them, hear them and share them remains.

Good marketing tells a story, too. It paints a picture of your company and describes the experiences your customers are likely to have.  The strength of your story is evident in the way your customers flock to you.  But, it’s also evident in the stories they tell about you.

Are they saying what you want others to hear? If not, what are you doing about it?  Are you changing your message; crafting a better tale, both internally and externally through customer service training, better Web site content and and more customer-friendly sales and marketing copy?  Are you telling people not just what they want to hear, but the truth about what it means to do business with you?  When your customers get to your store or your Web site or call your toll free number (even more, when the arrive at your Facebook fan page, choose to follow you on Twitter or read your blog) do they experience the story you promised?

It’s now more important than ever to deliver on that promise and successfully fulfill your story — excellent customer service, fast response time or quality products — because it’s now easier than ever for your customers to share their stories about you — good and bad — across every media outlet (social & mainstream) they have access to.

Are your customers talking about your company in a positive way?  Are you?

Take a minute to review your company Web site, marketing materials and media efforts — do they accurately reflect your company’s story and is it one worth repeating?