When you think of storytelling, it probably conjures up the phrase, ‘once upon a time’ or an image of a parent reading a book to their child before bed. But what does it actually mean when we refer to it in a marketing context?
Yes, storytelling content includes a clear narrative and structure like the texts you read in school but using it as part of a campaign becomes a way to make your brand exciting. Instead of just listing what your business does and stands for using bullet points, why not consider how you can construct a narrative around these facts?
Consider the history of your business and how it first started – you can share your personal story from zero to hero. How did you make the jump from having an idea of something that you could sell, to now actually selling it?
People love a good story – so why not try to recreate that childhood wonder of turning the pages of your favourite bedtime tale? Or think about how newspapers can hook you right from their catchy headlines. If you can present information about your business in a way that feels new, personal and creative, then you’ll already stand out from the rest.
Ultimately, we’re humans marketing to other humans. We’re not robots - we have emotions, so we can get bored easily. Telling stories ensures that we bring the human element into all of this – a face can be given to your brand and suddenly, what you write about can become relatable or make your audience laugh.
You can use case studies with clients, showing to your audience through stories that a real impact has been made on others, helping to convince them that you’re trustworthy.
It has been found that stories activate more regions of the brain than language alone – they are effective in stirring the senses when sensory imagery is used for example. Using language that connects with the senses can make your brand more memorable.
Storytelling doesn’t just have to include words – it can be done visually too. Using images and videos to tell stories in advertisements or even in creating a logo can help show that there are people behind your brand and there is a history associated with it.
Final Thoughts
When thinking about how to implement storytelling for your business, the most important thing is to make sure that you are consistent. Discovering your brand’s voice and the imagery to go with it should be seen across all your platforms and in all interactions with your clients. This will not only demonstrate that you are unique in what you do but also that it doesn’t feel like your business is solely run by robots (in the event that it actually is, then you need to at least make it seem like it isn’t)!
For assistance in telling the stories that matter to your business, get in touch with us today at kiesha@iconmarketingcommunications.co.uk