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Stories make our chaotic lives a bit easier to handle, a bit easier to make sense of. Great marketing and storytelling go hand in hand. If you want your idea to spread like wildfire, you have to tell a story that resonates. There are things people believe in and that belief gives meaning to their lives, this is what your story should be about- this is what every good story is about. The point is- humans need stories and if you tell a good one, it’s successful marketing.
Why tell a story? Because your consumers want one, they like stories. Word of mouth still works perfectly fine and what do you think makes people tell one another about “something”? It’s the story. Story sells. Here’s how you can tell a great one!
People are pretty good at ignoring your “marketing efforts” but they cannot ignore a good story. Most people believe facts and figures sell but good marketers know that’s not the case. People buy not because they need something but mostly because they want it. If your product or services can satiate this ‘want’, you win.
The first and foremost rule is that your story should be compelling. This is the prime reason why people want stories and why stories mean such a great deal to them. Take more time and put in extra efforts if that is what it takes but make sure when you tell a story, it is captivating. Contemplate what your definition of a good story is, what makes a story excellent, what makes people stop and pay attention and really listen. Now incorporate all those components to make your story great.
Here is a big “don’t” on the list. Stories are not paradoxical. You cannot go about telling stories that are conflicting. Your brand has to tell consistent stories, stories that don’t change in a day or with your revenue cycle. Just to get people interested, you cannot communicate inconsistent narratives. If you decide to tell a story, you’d better tell it loud and clear and then stick to it.
Your story has to be true. This is what makes a business credible. If you’re trying to sell lies, people will figure it out. Stories tell you something very important- they make a promise. Your business has to deliver the promise your story makes. Your marketing has to be authentic. If it isn’t genuine, it is not going to work. You are trying to earn trust here, remember that. Top businesses keep the promises their marketing makes. No matter how crazy that promise is, live your story!
Storytelling is an art and it is best to get your creative juices flowing. Try things, experiment! The top businesses in the world have already incorporated storytelling as an integral component of their marketing strategies. Know your ‘Why’. Why do you want to tell this story? Understand what you expect to get out of this story.
Don’t tell them you’re the best. Don’t announce your facts. Let your consumers find it out and let them frame the story for you, in their own head and in a way that appeals to them the most. This is how the story reverberates. If they experience what the story proclaims, you have found yourself the best word-of-mouth marketers. Also one point that is noteworthy here is- Your story cannot be for everyone and it doesn’t have to be. It just has to address people it is made for- your target audience. It just has to match their viewpoint.
Great stories are effortlessly easy to believe. They just don’t offer a product or service. They offer experience. Tell stories people want to hear, stories that validate something in them and that something changes the way business is done. People are well-informed and educated, advertisements don’t appeal to them but stories do.
