Beyond the Numbers: Why Storytelling Is a Strategic Investment

By Lauren Regan.

When we think of securing business funding or attracting an investment partner, it’s easy to assume the deciding factor lies in the numbers: balance sheets, revenue forecasts, and growth projections. But while strong financials demonstrate viability, they rarely inspire belief on their own. What turns cautious nods into confident yeses is something far more human—the power of a well-crafted, thoughtful story.

Whether it's growth investment to government tenders, UK businesses are competing for billions of pounds of funding each year, and success rates tell their own tale. Innovate UK’s Smart Grant programme recently recorded just a 2.8% success rate, while SME bank loan approvals have dropped sharply over the past five years. The truth is, even technically sound applications are failing, not because the numbers don’t stack up, but because the story behind them simply doesn’t resonate.

Why the story matters

Strong financials demonstrate viability, but they rarely inspire commitment on their own. What makes a case persuasive is a clear, coherent narrative that frames the opportunity in human, economic, and strategic terms.  

It’s a perspective we see proven again and again. Assessors and boards are rarely deep subject-matter experts in the fields they’re evaluating. Instead, they want confidence that a business understands the market it operates in, clarity around why the timing is right, and assurance that the team behind the idea has both the drive and the governance to deliver.

Funders and boards want to understand the ‘why’ behind the numbers – instead of killing them with spreadsheets, show them the core problem being solved. Who benefits? Why now? A compelling narrative creates context for the data, clarifies risk, and connects the proposal to a wider mission or social value. In a competitive field, it’s the story that helps your case stand out and stick.”

From spreadsheets to stories

This isn’t about replacing hard data with creative fluff. The most successful funding bids combine rigorous evidence with a narrative that makes sense to non-specialists. It’s about creating a bridge that transforms technical detail into a story that speaks to both logic and emotion.

When I work with clients to start crafting their story, my approach always begins by clearly defining the challenge and evidencing real market need. From there, we can focus the narrative on how your solution effectively addresses that need, before layering in all that humanity on top. You can go a step further by putting faces to your content through social proof, such as a case study, a testimonial, or a scenario that illustrates the impact that you are having on real lives. It’s these real-world touches that make the story tangible.”

The results can be transformative, and while numbers validate opportunity, it’s the story that fuels conviction.

Reframing your pitch

Storytelling is already a skill we use instinctively to build relationships, influence teams, and connect with customers, and shifting our mindset to apply it to funding and tenders means we have a better chance of connecting with decision-makers on a human level. 

So, the next time you prepare a business case, ask yourself not only whether the numbers add up, but whether the story sings because in today’s funding landscape, strategic storytelling isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s the differentiator between being another application in the pile and being the one that makes decision-makers lean in and say, yes.

 Lauren Regan is the founder and creative director of MOLE, a brand storytelling and PR consultancy.

Crafting a meaningful brand story is within reach for every organisation. MOLE works with businesses in the UK and Canada to find their voice, tell their stories, and shape their future. To speak to Lauren about your organisations ambitions, reach out on [email protected]