When a story has value, it spreads and influences. And the best stories create more stories, building an irresistible momentum. When a business’ mission is to spread the word about its benefits, strong storytelling is a key asset.
Asbestos: Revealing the Risks
Gemma Voaden is an asbestos surveyor and she is well aware of the risks that asbestos poses to people. “I think there’s a degree of surprise and even shock when people are made aware of just how much asbestos is out there”, she states.
Gemma’s Oldham-based company, All Survey, recently surveyed a chain of charity shops and discovered asbestos present in 176 of them. She went on to share this story, initially through one of M3 Media Publishing’s , to illustrate the importance of All Survey’s work. Based on that story, M3 wrote and published an and shared it across social media platforms.
“I think something clicks with people when I explain what happened,” Gemma says. “This is partly because the client organisation originally thought its shops were clear, and also because of the scale of the problem. Asbestos really is a hidden threat, and it’s very real and very much in the present”.
One Story Leads to Another
All Survey has joined a business accelerator programme called Entrepreneurial Spark. She is one of 80 enterprises involved in the programme in Manchester, which is being run in partnership with NatWest and KPMG. Entrepreneurial Spark recently ran its Acceler8 pitching competition, and All Survey was one of the winners.
“Our pitch was for assistance in accessing finance to market ourselves to key decision makers, and to get our message across that asbestos is still around”, Gemma explains. “And that it’s a deadly, hidden killer that kills over 5000 people per year in the UK today”.
There is no sign of this rate slowing down, which is why Gemma’s company plans to set up the first UK Asbestos Register, to reach more people with the message.
As part of the contest, NatWest awarded All Survey a cash prize for its pitch about the asbestos threat. This was an apt demonstration of how compelling storytelling really works to help grow business.
“Entrepreneurial Spark has helped us focus our energies”, Gemma concludes. “Telling the right story, in the right way, has helped us grow our business and move us closer to realising our goals”.
To find out about the hidden risks you could be facing with asbestos, please call All Survey on 0161 628 2555 or visit
If you would like to get your business’ stories seen and heard, please call M3 Media Publishing on 0845 051 9374 or fill in your details below.
[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]
