Hello, Betty. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I love it when everyone is wearing nametags, because I’m terrible at names. Saves a lot of embarrassment. My nametag? No it’s not a joke (although, I do love these “Hello, my name is…” nametags). I am The Future.Why am I here, today? I try to get to as many of these business mixers as I can to learn more about how what you’re doing now, in the present, ends up playing out.

You see, I live in the future and wonder about the people who created it. You know, Betty, you would be amazed at how many people I meet who don’t seem to make the connection between what they are saying and doing today and the impact it has on The Future. What do I mean? Well, for example, last year I was at a meeting where everyone was talking about how terrible the economy was and that there was nothing they could do to fix things. It turned out they were absolutely right.

Want to knwo what I think? I think that you create your own future and that people become what they believe to be true. If they believe the future looks bleak, it will be. If they believe that they have the ability to improve the future, the future will improve. And just between you and me, Betty, when it comes to predicting the future I’ve got an inside track.

What would I recommend? Betty, I knew you were going to ask me that. You know I can’t tell you your future, but I can offer some…let’s call them “best practices” that I have seen for communities that have done a great job working together to build a compelling future. Believe it or not, it boils down to one simple thing: telling a compelling story about what makes you great and how you can build on those assets to build a bright future.

Unfortunately, when people talk about economic development, they talk about research data, spreadsheets and economic indicators. Don’t misunderstand me; that’s all important in crafting the strategy, but to create a compelling case that people are willing to rally behind and invest in you need to reach both their brains and their hearts.

We all relate to and remember stories better than data points—even businesspeople like you. Here’s what really separates the best from the rest: The best communities focus on internal audiences first and external audiences second. Why? Because every interaction or conversation one has is sending a message that builds the brand message.

Your success is, in no small part, built on what you believe about your community and its potential…on the story that you tell yourself and that you truly believe. The most effective economic development stories do four things that start a virtual FIRE of enthusiasm: Focus, Inspire, Recognize and Educate.

•                  Focus: Give examples of how people have come together to solve a problem or create a possibility. Engage people by inviting them to define this new future.

•                  Inspire: Paint the picture of your shared future success and to cement the vision for the future in people’s collective conscious.

•                  Recognize: There are no sweeter words than our own names. Celebrate every success story from the small to the great and include names, dates and places. Give thanks to the people and organizations that are contributing to the vision and the plan.

•                  Educate: The greatest strength of stories and parables is their ability to teach. Make sure there’s a moral to every story that leads people where you need them to go.

Use the amazingly full social media toolbox of storytelling tools, but never forget that face-to-face is still the most compelling way to engage someone with a story. Events and meetings are great places to share stories and to recruit ambassadors who can fan the flames of the FIRE. Betty, don’t know it yet, but you are responsible for some amazing things over the next couple of years. And begins today. In a few minutes, you’re going to stand up and tell a compelling story about the future that everyone in this room can help create. In a few minutes, you’re going to go from “Hello: my name is Betty” to “Betty, the leader who struck the spark that launched our community story.”

		As a member of Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s marketing and communications team, Bob Metzger helps share the many compelling stories about Michigan as a place to live, work and play.