Storytelling in Marketing: Why You Should Be Doing It
Storytelling in marketing… What is it and why should you be doing it? Let me give you one reason: It’s 2019 and the days of people being susceptible to cheesy, sleazy, sales ads are long gone.
Consumers are getting smarter than ever, and ads are the last thing they want to read (willingly). So what does this mean for business owners and content creators? It’s time to get innovative.
Customers want to build deeper and more meaningful relationships with brands now more than ever. How do you do this as a business or brand? You guessed it, through storytelling.
Now, there’s several ways you can start using storytelling to strengthen your brand and marketing.
You could share user-generated content such as customer testimonials, behind the brand stories, mission and value statements…
Or you could also take a stance on important issues that resonate with your target audience which is something we’ll touch on later.
So How Do You Incorporate Storytelling into Your Marketing… Effectively?
Think of your customer as the main character and the center of your narrative… you want your customer to envision themselves as they read.
The best stories are able to hook the reader, address their problem or pain point, and offer a solution to that problem. It’s not as hard as it sounds, I promise.
You need just enough to pique their interest through a clickable headline, a compelling hook, a little meat to the story, and a reward or solution to their problem.
- Hook (captures attention and interest in what you have to say or offer)
- Meat
- Reward or Payoff
The best stories relate to your audience’s challenges, piques their curiosity and keeps them interested enough to want to keep reading.
Just like a fairy tale, a captivating brand story includes three scenes that set up the situation, chronicle the conflict, and offer a solution.
Let’s say you were to implement this in real life and you’re a business coach. How would you use storytelling to draw in your audience?
One option would be to introduce one of your current or past clients (with their permission, of course). Introduce Sarah to your audience and spell out for them all of the problems and fears she was facing when she first came to you for help.
There’s a pretty high chance that’s the place your reader is currently in… Otherwise, why would they even be reading your content?
Be sure to agitate the emotion here. Make your audience really feel those emotions. Remember, emotion results in action.
After you’ve hooked them in, get to the goods. Walk them through Sarah’s problems again, but this time paint a picture of how you solved Sarah’s problems. For example…
“When Sarah first came to me, she was unclear on her niche and who she specifically wanted to help. After just one week of working together, I helped her get crystal clear on who she wanted to serve and the exact problems she would be solving for her hot new niche. Since implementing our strategy, Sarah’s revenue increased by 150% in just one month!”
Woah, did it just get hot in here? I’m ready to sign up for this offer now!
Why It Pays to Be a Storyteller
Not only can storytelling increase sales conversions, but it can also strengthen brand loyalty. In fact, those jumping on the storytelling bandwagon are able to increase the value of their product or service X20!
“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.” -Seth Godin
Case Study
According to this survey, two-thirds of consumers want brands to take a stand on important political and social issues such as immigration, racism, and human rights.
It sounds risky, but research proves that brands who do reap the rewards. That’s not to say you should just take a stand on anything. The key is to be strategic and take a stand on an issue that is relevant to your target audience.
Not buying it? Just take a look at the stand Nike made in 2016 by siding with former 49ers NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
In case you don’t recall, Kaepernick sparked national controversy and outrage when he took a stand against racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem. Kaepernick may have lost his job with the NFL, but he gained a meaningful sponsorship with Nike.
In fact, Nike did what many fear. They took a public stand by partnering with former NFL star despite public outrage. You see, Nike wasn’t afraid to piss off thousands of irrelevant consumers by taking a stand.
Nike played their cards right and sided on an issue that’s important to their target audience (and guess what, it’s not angry white men).
Nike’s bravery resulted in 2.7 million mentions on social media in 24 hours and its shares breaking an all-time high. Nike’s risk paid off (literally) with a $6 billion market value increase following the ad…
How’s that for taking a stand?
Conclusion
Just think about it… Are you more likely to engage with a brand that takes a stand for what they believe in? The name of the game isn’t to appeal to everyone.
Brands who aren’t afraid to take a stand build stronger relationships with customers.
Just look at Chick-Fil-A for example. They’ve built a strong brand and relations with their target market, despite their stance on highly controversial issues such as religion and LGTBQ+ rights.
Clearly, that hasn’t been affecting their revenue much as they’ve utilized storytelling to strengthen the bond and loyalty they have with their target market.
“Brand storytelling is a great way to get your point of across, differentiate your brand, and work out new ideas. Today, if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur or leader, you also have to be a storyteller.” -Richard Branson
Are you using storytelling in your brand messaging and content strategy? Why or why not? Got some other juicy ideas to add to this? Let me know below!
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