by Caroline Trembly
MEET THE AUTHOR: Greenville native and Endeavor Intern Caroline Trembly, who will graduate this fall from Clemson University, is currently majoring in marketing with a minor in brand communications through Clemson’s Erwin Center for Brand Communications. As Endeavor’s intern, Trembly focuses on content creation, social media management and public relations support. In addition, Trembly is interviewing Endeavor members to learn from and highlight Greenville’s creative community.
I have always been fascinated with the art of storytelling. It takes great skill to be able to connect with others, capture attention, and communicate a message. When I heard that our member, STORY, specialized in marketing through the lens of storytelling, I was hooked. After admiring STORY’s designs on their website, I sat down with Ben Pettit, Founder and CEO, and Chelsea Allen, VP of Services, to learn more.
With storytelling and marketing as their specialty, I was curious to hear the story behind this hybrid agency. “Marketing has always been the thing that kept me grounded. When launching STORY, my vision was to create an agency that valued client relationships and solved overarching business problems. Our goal is to cut through saturated markets by designing turnkey websites and marketing strategies that tell our clients’ stories,” said Ben.
From designing custom websites to providing strategic marketing services, this creative agency wears many hats. With Ben’s strategic mindset and Chelsea’s design skills, they are able to consult over 500 companies on digital, marketing and, business problems. As the president of STORY, Ben uses his 10 years of industry experience to lead a talented team of digital strategists. Chelsea complements Ben with her expertise in development, client services, and operational leadership.
How does STORY begin developing websites? “By uncovering a company’s story in deep dive sessions, we are able to design a captivating website. These initial meetings take about four weeks to complete and start with a simple conversation,” said Chelsea. “During ‘deep dives’, we study the company as an organization, and analyze their business practices. Next, we identify what sets their company apart, makes them tick, and drives the most success from what they do. That’s how we uncover a good story.”
I wasn’t surprised to hear that there isn’t a typical day for this team. “STORY is a creative, project-focused agency at heart. We are the storytellers that think of six impossible things before breakfast, and make them possible. Most of our tasks include designing strategic websites, developing strong brands, and producing creative work for clients,” Ben described.
Custom-designed websites are the main medium that STORY uses for storytelling. “A company’s website is a 24/7 digital communication tool that serves as the central hub for business. By simplifying information and including a call-to- action, we make lead generation or purchase the end goal of our designs. Keeping the style clean and actionable is a natural byproduct of successful websites,” Chelsea shared.
With college graduation in mind, I asked how young professionals can creatively share their story with future employers. “People often want to be clay and morph themselves into what they think they should be. My advice? Set yourself apart. By discovering your strengths and sharing that with employers, you can build career capital,” Chelsea advised.
Ben concluded our interview by sharing how companies can compete in an ever-changing digital world. “Marketing is changing daily, SEO is transforming and social networks are fluctuating. The best way to be successful in modern marketing is to keep your story as the focus. When you know a company’s story, you are more inclined to like and trust them,” said Ben.
“Marketing through the lens of storytelling is the heartbeat of what we do at STORY,” Ben explained. “People may forget your ad campaign, but they will remember your story, and how it made them feel.”
