Having a compelling story gives a business the ability to generate substantial word-of-mouth and in the process increase brand awareness. Stories that add color and character to a business resonate with customers at a deeper level, encouraging them to evangelize on behalf of the company in retelling the story.

Take the instance of Ken Deckinger, who recently co-founded an online dating service called "Jess, Meet Ken." This latest venture is an online dating site where women can post the profile of a male friend, relative or even a former boyfriend.The business model is based on Ken's own life story and the way he met his wife, Jessica. His best friend Adele posted his profile online. Jessica saw the post and contacted Adele. The women chatted and then Adele introduced Jessica to Ken. With that a marriage was born, along with it the idea behind Jess, Meet Ken.Most people believe that marketing should be clear, rational and objective, with no place for emotion or subjective thinking. But the most powerful, persuasive communication has a human element effectively delivered through stories.A story can set a business apart from the competition, give it personality and thus make it more difficult to copy. Prospective buyers with whom the story resonates become hooked due to their emotional response.Keep your ears open for audiences who seem to be clearly echoing the essence of your story, and multiply that echo effect by encouraging those audiences to retell your story in their own voice and through their own experience.The following three elements can help an entrepreneur craft a memorable story that will resonate with the target audience and set his or her business apart.1. Have a protagonist.A good story for a company's marketing needs a hero, a protagonist with whom prospective customers can identify. The protagonist has a need that must be met. It's up to the business to fulfill that need through its products or services.2. Create an antagonist.The antagonist is the protagonist's main challenge. In Jess Meet Ken's word-of-mouth marketing Jessica encounters a key challenge: superficial men uninterested in a true relationship. Successful businesses solve their customers' problems through their product or service.3. Present an aha! moment.The aha moment, popularized by Oprah Winfrey, is the point in a story when an audience learns the value proposition of the product or service.With Jess, Meet Ken's word-of-mouth marketing, the aha moment occurs after a woman hearing the company's story realizes that instead of trying to set up a great male acquaintance with the small pool of women at the office, she can connect him with a larger pool of eligibles through an online dating service.Businesses can try to shape their stories so they resonate with prospective customers and so the company is set apart from competitors.What is your business's story and how can you use that story to set yourself apart from the competition?