15 Reasons You Should Write a Company History Book

Amazon, Facebook, McDonald’s, and Starbucks — all well-loved and groundbreaking brands that have one thing in common: They all published a company history book. Corporate greats such as these used books to tell tales of their venture’s humble beginnings and eventual rise to greatness.

But why write a company history book? Why go through the additional expense and effort of sifting through your business history to share with the public?

As you might have guessed, there’s much to gain. In this article, we share with you 15 compelling reasons why you should consider coming up with your own company history book.

Before we get started, let’s review why your company’s history is valuable.

Why Is a Company’s History Valuable?

Trust is an essential component in any business relationship. When customers are looking to place their trust in a company, they ultimately choose one that demonstrates commitment and honesty.

Telling your story is also an opportunity to share your brand’s values. You can share how you stayed true to your values in the beginning and during hard times. It can be a powerful testimony of your commitment and resilience.

After all, a company that has remained faithful to its values through the years is attractive in today’s authenticity-driven world and invites more business.

Lastly, your company history is a great way to build lasting value for your company. Instead of having a one-and-done transactional relationship with your clients, sharing where you came from and what it took to get there helps your stakeholders remember you, even after their business with you is concluded.

Combined with great products or services, your company history is a powerful way to leave your audience with a lasting impression of your company, values, and reliability.

We’ve established why company history is essential, but why should you use a company history to share it? Take a look at these 15 reasons for writing a company history book.

15 Reasons Why You Should Consider Writing a Company History Book

When people look at your company, does it inspire loyalty and trust? Does your brand seem relatable, credible, and relevant to the public?

It can be tough to become associated with these qualities, but a company history book can be an excellent way to accomplish this.

If your company has some history to it, here’s why you should consider getting it all down on paper and sharing it with the public.

#1. To Understand the Values of Your Company

Who would you rather do business with — a company whose values you understand or one you know little about? If you chose the former, you’re not alone. According to a 2020 report published by 5W, 71 percent of customers prefer purchasing from brands whose values resonate with theirs. That number is even higher for millennials, at 83 percent.

#2. To Establish an Original Vision for the Future

#3. To Identify Areas of Improvement in the Workplace

Knowing your company’s weaknesses will help it grow.

#4. To Provide a Roadmap for Your Organization’s Success

What successes has your company achieved? What were the major challenges and milestones that led to it? How did you overcome them? All this and more can be documented in your company history book.

#5. To Commemorate Major Company Events

Do you have a major event coming up? Perhaps it’s your company’s 50th year in business. Maybe you’re about to close your 1,000th deal, or perhaps you’re about to hire your 100th employee.

#6. To Track Progress in Your Business

As a company, you have many ways to track your progress, from annual reports, financials, weekly progress reports, and a wide range of metrics. When you have all these in your arsenal, why would you want to add a company history book to the mix?

It fuels passion and motivation. It gives them a reason to latch onto those numbers and shoot for them.

The next time you want to get a better sense of where you are today and what you need to do next, don’t just look at the numbers. Consider the history of your company and the people, changes, and milestones that got you to where you are today. Company history books give us a unique perspective that numbers simply can’t provide.

#7. To Build Credibility

Credibility is key to any business. A study shows that 93% of customers check reviews before they purchase goods or services from an online provider, and this number is only expected to grow.

Of course, you’ll have to make sure that the publication you release highlights these qualities. Many companies hoping to build their reputations hire a ghostwriter or a company historian to chronicle their history.

#8. To Inspire Other Brands

How would you like to set benchmarks in the industry the way Starbucks, Amazon, Facebook, and McDonald’s have? While it sounds like a monumental goal, a company history book with inspiring stories and achievements is a step in the right direction.

It can serve as a precedent for others in your industry or even for businesses in general.

#9. To Build a Brand People Love

#10. To Engage Customers and Improve Sales

If a company history book can help inspire other businesses, why not your own customers? Tell the story of how you came up with your bestselling product, why you chose to market it a certain way, or why you designed it that way.

This behind-the-scenes look can help create more engaged customers and ultimately improve sales. With a company history book, you’ll improve your chances of closing a sale even before they reach your website or visit your store.

#11. To Throw Light on Defeats and Hardships Faced

You can’t make history without having your share of failures. To read about companies that have been around for decades and even centuries is to read stories of meltdowns and problems that almost led them to close down. Some companies actually shut down, only to re-open stronger than ever.

Slowly, the company re-emerged and became a multi-billion-dollar earner as it shifted its focus to the big screen.

Companies that faced and conquered problems seem more authentic and relatable. Instead of hiding hardships, use your company history book to highlight how you faced the impossible and went on to succeed anyway.

#12. To Acknowledge People Who Have Made a Difference in the Company

What would Tesla be without Elon Musk or Berkshire Hathaway without Warren Buffett? A company history book is a great way to pay tribute to your own Elons and Warrens.

#13. To Gain and Retain Customer Trust

#14. To Remember Important Life Lessons Learned From the Past

#15. To Celebrate Your Journey

Time to Get Started!

There you go — 15 reasons you should have a company history book. As you can see, it’s more than just another coffee-table book. It documents your journey, evolution, and success as a business. It also has loads of benefits for customers, management, employees, investors, and the company itself.

Since it’s an important account of your organization’s history, you should hire someone with the right skill set to write it for you. Your writer-historian should be able to do research, interview key executives and leaders, and present the information well.

At the end of the day, people should be able to easily see what made and continues to make your brand great.