What does a day in the life of a content creator for the finance industry look like? Yesterday I was developing content topics and assigning them to writers for content that will be published in September and October. The clients for the content broker loans in the commercial sector, and they make money on closing fees. There’s no hourly pay, few residuals, so everything comes down to the broker’s ability to source money for the business owner at rates and terms the owner will accept.

I use Storyteller Tactics cards by Pip Decks to structure, write, and assign articles to writers to break through the common marketing noise in the financing industry.

Interested in using the Storyteller Tactics deck to strengthen your marketing content? Get yours with a 15% discount by using our Affiliate Link.

Realistically, there are thousands or more ways a loan for business borrowers can be structured. To create content for brokers, one approach is to detail the loan products, options and terms. That’s often what you see on a commercial bank’s lending page. They set the terms, they list them, and it’s not worth their time to talk with a borrower unless the borrower is willing to accept. The banks are the highest gatekeepers of capital for businesses.

But the bank’s approach to messaging isn’t great for loan brokers. I’ll go so far as to call it terrible. The reason? With thousands of options, there’s no way to list all of the permutations of term, payment, interest rate, fees, payment penalties, balloon payments, time-to-close, minimum requirements… the list goes on. Presenting all of this information is overwhelming.

Business owners, for the most part, are interested in their area of expertise – say they make and sell quality paint brushes in both the home painting and art categories. They care about the way a brush carries and delivers paint, not about the permutations of their financing. The loan broker, on the other hand, is interested in how to source capital that will help the brush manufacturer grow through new equipment, working capital, upgraded HVAC and ventilation, financing an addition to their manufacturing facility.

For business owners, the capital they need is merely a commodity. The commodity of money allows them to have the work space they need, the equipment, the payroll, the marketing. The brand of the lender doesn’t really matter to them that much, so long as the terms and costs are right to support the goals and objectives of the business, its employees and owners.

So, how can copy for websites or social media establish a brand for a loan broker who wades day in and day out through a commodity market to find the right financing for their borrower?

The answer is through the power of story.

Stories are how meaning and intention are carried to the prospective customer in nearly every market. I’ve been telling stories for brokers, insurers, real estate agents and others that work in and around these markets since 2017, and today, I use the Pip Decks Storyteller Tactics as a foundation for prompting meaningful stories for professionals working to differentiate themselves from the other available options in the market.

Here’s a glimpse into how I structured stories to use in some upcoming content:

The broker was able to source financing at competitive rates that allowed the business owner to close on the property in a matter of weeks, and more importantly, the loan included property improvement funds that allowed him to make changes to the property right away.

This story represents real pain points that many business owners experience. In this story it doesn’t matter if the funds came from Chase, Bank of Idaho, or a private fund. What matters to the business owner and lessor is that the deal was funded in a matter of weeks, and both got what they really wanted from the deal.

Because of their prompt service, the broker became a valued confidant in the financing challenge.

In terms of content creation, this is the kind of story that can be crafted into a clear call to action: When you are struggling to source capital, our brokerage can get you out of the cycle of chasing money.

On paper, crafting something around this kind of story sounds simple, right? In the end, your story should feel like fitting a hand into a well-worn glove, but do you know what the real battle is? Finding your way there – getting past the urge to follow the crowd and stuff content with interest rates, term sheets for prospects to download and dump in a folder that won’t be opened again for six months, and the incessant “get funded today!” buttons that festoon the landing pages of competitor’s websites.

If you are looking for a way to tell more powerful stories within your business or organization, try out the Storyteller Tactics deck by Pip Decks. With 56 cards including prompts, story frameworks, and story development exercises, you’ll have confidence in your pocket and a mind bursting with story ideas.

And if you want to work with a story development coach and content creator, sign up for a free story assessment. We’ll talk about where you are at in your story marketing journey and chart a path to creating impactful content through each of your touch-points.

Let's tell your story