Once upon a time, in a marketing department far, far away there lived an erstwhile marketer determined to seek their fortune. They set out one bright spring day, only to find themselves in the middle of a dark forest, besieged on all sides by voices whispering “Logo” and “Competition” and “PPC” and other terrifying things.
The young marketer quickly grew tired and, having escaped the dark forest, curled up for a nap beneath the shady branches of a tall oak tree. When they awoke, they found themselves surrounded by a whole host of magical creatures.
What happens next? If you’d like to know, it’s because a great story pulls people in and keeps them engaged well beyond those first few seconds. Brands can do the same thing on a different scale. Weaving captivating tales that forge connections and build new worlds unlock the mysteries of successful engaging current and new clients in the long term. So how do you turn your run-of-the-mill marketing content into memorable, relatable stories that convert? Here’s where to start.
Put people first
Storytelling is at the core of who we are as people. We’ve always told stories, and we’ll keep telling them until there aren’t any people left to listen. It’s how we connect with the people around us. Brands do the same - by leveraging your core brand identity to tell the right story, you bridge the gap between your company and your audience.
Go beyond products
When it comes right down to it, our audiences don’t care all that much about our specific products and services. What they want to know is how we’re going to make their lives easier, their bottom lines higher, and their goals easier to reach. Make sure your story is focused on the outcomes, not the tools.
Identify your hero
It’s not your brand. In every case, the hero of your story is your customer. It’s the central person who is going to come out on top, overcome the obstacles, and find success. Several brands have embraced Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey for this, a narrative structure that presents challenges, obstacles, transformations, and helpers along the hero’s path to ultimate success. In this framework, your company is the guide, mentor, and sage along the way, helping your customers choose the right path forward.
Be authentic
Your stories have to be honest and authentic. No matter how well they’re written, how compelling their narrative, you’re going to lose those customers you drew in the moment they feel like you’re using stories to be misleading or dishonest. Keep it real and realistic.
Get visual
Images and videos are a huge part of storytelling. Whether it’s infographics to share data in a visual way, videos to create customer stories, or even animations and graphics that help enhance the story on your website, your visual identity plays a huge role in telling the right story to your audience.
Evoke emotion
Great storytelling makes you feel something. Whether your customers are laughing or crying or reliving the frustrations you’re trying to help them solve, unlocking those emotional experiences is what makes your story unforgettable.
Call them to action
Your call to action is the last thing your customers have the chance to engage with, so it has a lot to do for such a small piece of content. Your CTAs should be clear about exactly what’s going to happen when your customer clicks the button so there are no surprises.
Modern marketing is tough. Making it through the forest of competitors to get in front of your target audience takes near-constant effort and a lot of failure. But it can also be incredibly rewarding. As marketers, you create connections and communities. You turn your corporate brand into an engaging narrative that pulls your audience in closer. Lean into the power of that story and watch your engagement grow.
Comentarios