Immersing yourself in a captivating novel or film is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Whether you’re a fan of crime fiction or independent cinema, a carefully crafted narrative can make audiences think about the world in new and exciting ways. But why should we leave story-writing to novelists and screenwriters? You can apply storytelling in heaps of exciting ways, including as a killer marketing technique. In this handy article, the brand storytelling experts here at Mandel Marketing will explore the benefits of building intriguing or enchanting narratives around your product or service.
So, what exactly is “storytelling,” when it comes to marketing?
In a marketing context, storytelling involves using narrative creatively to explain your core brand message or communicate useful information. Storytelling is the opposite of direct selling or pushy advertising – it’s about building connections with audience members to humanize your brand, enhance customer loyalty, and secure long-term growth.
One of the most common forms of branded storytelling within the marketing space is the classic “About Us” webpage. Customers love to read brands’ origin stories, especially if they’re unusual or grounded in a desire to improve people’s lives.
Of course, storytelling doesn’t have to involve facts alone. Some businesses use wild and fantastical tales in their ads to capture customers’ imaginations. Take global tech firm Intuit, which developed an ad entitled ‘A Giant Story’. In four short minutes, the ad tells the story of a budding entrepreneur named Pari, who creates a giant robot to help her friend kickstart his floristry business. It’s both a heart-warming love story and a subtle way to convey the power of technology to support promising start-ups. In this way, it emphasizes the benefits of Intuit’s tech-based offerings while cultivating an enchanting brand message.
What are the benefits of storytelling?
There are tons of excellent reasons to build a storytelling strategy today, including:
- It will help you stand out from the crowd: People are bombarded with advertisements and promotions every single day. By telling a charming or fascinating story, you can hook people’s attention and ensure they remember your brand. Did you know that telling a story is around 22 times more memorable than reeling off facts alone? It’s time to get creative!
- You’ll build trust in your audience: Consumers are more likely to hand over their hard-earned cash to businesses they trust and respect. By telling stories that encompass your values, you can build lasting personal connections with your audiences and secure steady revenue streams.
- People are tired of salesy content: Overtly transactional content can make your brand seem cold and purely profit-driven. Storytelling helps you avoid such pitfalls and create content people will genuinely enjoy.
How can I include storytelling in my branding and marketing strategy?
Wondering where to start with your storytelling strategy? Here are a few tips to get those creative juices flowing:
Consider different mediums for your stories
Stories aren’t just about putting the right words in the perfect order – you can experiment with a range of media, depending on your budget and time constraints. Some of the most common include:
- Written stories: From blog content to e-books, there are plenty of ways to weave stories into your written marketing material. While crafting compelling written stories takes skill, it is easily one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your audience.
- Audio stories: Thanks to the rise of the podcast, people are hungrier than ever for audio content. Why not invite podcast guests to tell stories about your brand or create your very own branded fictional series? Just remember to include cliff-hangers and intriguing plot points to keep people hooked.
- Visual stories: Traditional video ads represent one of the best ways to create resonant stories your audience will love. Try to create something shareable with which your audience can relate.
- Gamified stories: Why not take your customers on a journey with an interactive game? People love engaging with story-based games, especially if they convey strong and personalized messages.
Select what kind of story you want to tell
Stories come in a range of shapes and can have different effects on your audience. Here are some of the most common in the world of marketing:
- Value-based stories: These are designed to tell people about the values behind your brand.
- Brand origin stories: What struggles did you face when starting your business? Did you experience anything unusual? Customers love authentic brand stories.
- Educative stories: These tales are designed to help customers overcome problems or improve their lives.
- Calls-to-action: CTA stories describe customers’ previous successful interactions with your brand.
Remember to share your stories and track their success
Once you’ve created a story, help it go viral with social media and email marketing. You should also track the success of your stories to ascertain what you did well and how you can improve in future.
Start planning your stories today!
As you can see, storytelling is a vital marketing technique that you can take in several directions. There’s never been a better time to get creative and plot some exciting narratives, and Mandel Marketing can help. Give us a call at (512) 655-9179 or set up a free consultation here.