Over 600 people came together to share ideas, make connections and plan for the future of the Wisconsin startup economy at the 2016 Early Stage Symposium on Nov. 16 and 17.

This Madison event provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to tap into the Wisconsin startup and investor community, and for the members of that community to share the knowledge gained from their experiences.

A group of communications experts did just that at a Thursday panel on storytelling in the startup space, giving advice to on how to leverage focused communication early on to support long-term growth.

Jennifer Savino of KW2 advertising agency said that while the product itself is important, the narrative that goes along with it often attracts customers.

“It’s not just the product that people are buying; it’s the story behind it,” said Savino. “And the first audience that you have to convince with that story is the folks that you’re trying to get funding from. Bringing marketing people in early is going to help you do that.” Read the full story here.