The Importance of Storytelling Marketing
If you’ve been in the content marketing space for a while, you may have heard of storytelling marketing. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the term, there’s a good chance that you’ve been on the other side of it, and it may have even converted a sale from you.
This is because storytelling marketing is subtle but influential. It’s a form of brand-audience connection that is considerably more impactful and memorable than standard marketing tactics. By telling a story, you can make a personal connection and activate the emotions of your audience. This results in dedicated viewers who are more likely to interact with your content.
Before you try storytelling marketing for your brand, you should know exactly what it is and why it matters.
What is Storytelling Marketing?
Storytelling marketing is a unique and effective way to connect with your audience or customer base. As it says in the name, you are sharing a story that involves your brand.
Humans love stories. They help us learn morals in childhood, remember facts in school, and better understand life as adults. Stories are an instinctual part of the human experience, which makes them easy to leverage in a marketing strategy.
When you deliver a narrative, you offer your audience a chance to not only see the personality and values behind your brand but to be invested in the outcome as well. By catching their emotional attention, you show you are more than a faceless product or service. This creates a closer connection with your audience and allows them to build trust in you.
One key difference of storytelling marketing is that it doesn’t directly promote a product. You are not just trying to sell them something, but also giving them the emotional experience of a story.
Why does Storytelling Marketing Matter?
Stories make your brand memorable. A follower scrolling through social media may not remember that you launched a new product, but the story of someone greatly benefiting from using it may stick with them for longer.
The goal of any marketing tactic is to get your audience to stop, listen, and respond to your call to action. Narratives are intriguing, especially when you focus on interesting characters and circumstances.
Stories personalize your brand by showing the humans behind the screen. Your image transcends what you’re selling and becomes something your viewers can personally connect with.
For example, if you tell the story of how your cat helped you get through a really hard day in your small business, you may establish a stronger bond between your brand and the pet lovers in your audience.
Stories also emphasize your brand identity and the philosophy behind your business. It’s easy to state your mission and the drive behind your work, but telling the tale of how and why you came to those core values leaves a bigger impact.
The narrative format makes these more memorable and enhances your calls to action, as customers will be more inclined to respond when they feel emotionally connected.
Another advantage to storytelling marketing is the use of three-act structure. Not only is this natural and memorable, but it’s compelling as well.
Three-act structure contains the beginning, middle, and end of a story. This can be told across multiple posts, or all incorporated in one, depending on the format you choose. People who start a story are inclined to follow up and find out the ending, which means they will continue to seek and interact with your content.
Many people don’t like the feeling of being sold to. By giving them a story instead of a direct push to buy your product or services, you offer them value and insight into the benefits of staying up on your brand.
Storytelling is also a great tool for explaining how a product or service is meant to be used. If you sell or provide something out of the ordinary, telling the story of how someone used it can decrease confusion and improve your sales.
How to Use Storytelling Marketing
Don’t underestimate the power of your brand’s story! The most authentic and personal narratives have the most impact. Anyone who takes the leap to start a small business or brand has a story worth sharing. You’re out there making things happen, and your audience is likely more interested than you realize.
Avid supporters of small businesses are especially inclined to listen to your story. By sharing it, you remind them why you are worth following. This also allows them to become more invested in your success and build a stronger community around your brand.
Storytelling marketing can be approached in multiple ways. While the story behind your brand is unique and effective, you can also share the story of your product or service in action. Some brands create fictional scenarios in which their product or service is used, while others pull from customer testimonials.
Another powerful way to apply storytelling marketing is to tell stories from within your brand. These can be examples of successful team collaboration, or the unique experience of running a small business by yourself.
These approaches are not mutually exclusive! Try out different forms of storytelling and see what combinations work best for your brand. Don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun with it.
It’s important to carefully select the format you choose for your story. If your audience primarily finds you on social media, consider a visual medium. If your blog contains your most popular content, consider telling your story through well-constructed articles. Do your research first so your storytelling efforts don’t go to waste on a low-performing platform.
When using storytelling, be sure to still follow the rules of classic content marketing: be clear, succinct, and offer value to your audience. Stay true to your brand voice and stay aware of who your audience is.
You don’t have to be a fiction writer to harness the power of storytelling marketing! All you need to do is determine your authentic message, construct a narrative around it, and deliver it to your audience.
Always In Your Corner,
The Content Queens
