Substance and Style

Marketing changes quickly. New technologies, new distribution channels, and major changes to existing platforms are just some of the things that keep marketers on their toes all the time. However, one of the basic tenets of good marketing remains the same: storytelling is marketing gold. Rather than becoming less important with time, storytelling has become even more relevant as the world of marketing has evolved. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Brand Consistency. If you have a clear picture in your mind of the story you want to tell, the story becomes integral to your brand. When all of the elements of your brand are established and working together, it gives you a much clearer approval process for marketing decisions. When considering a campaign with your brand narrative in mind, you will immediately know whether something is aligned with your goals. 

2. Brand Recognition. We say all the time that the public is drowning in content all day every day. If you want to stand out in that landscape, one of the best ways to do so is to have a good story and/or good storytelling ability. It’s actually rare to find brands with both. When one comes along, people tend to recognize it whenever they see it. The story reminds them immediately of the brand and the branding reminds them immediately of the story. 

3. Better Performing Content. Stories appeal to emotion, which makes them both relatable and memorable. Content that is genuine and authentic resonates more with audiences. It gives you a chance to make a personal connection. Your stories are your own; they can’t be told by AI or even by outside marketers who haven’t taken the time to get to know you. This alone makes them novel and valuable in today’s marketing landscape. Content that is authentic or even perceived as authentic gets more engagement and leaves a bigger impression on audiences. 

4. Ownership and Distribution. Your story can go anywhere in the digital space (your website, emails, social media, etc.) and anywhere in the physical space (brochures, books, office walls, for example). No matter how many changes come in social media or platform ownership, if you have your story, you can adapt it and distribute it elsewhere if need be. 

If you’re sold on the idea of storytelling, but you don’t know where to start, here are some tips:

1. Look at your branding as a whole. What do you want people to think about when they think about you? What associations, feelings, and aesthetics are you trying to evoke in your customers’ minds? Once you know how you want people to feel about and react to your stories, you’ll have a better sense of which stories to tell and the best ways to frame them. 

2. Reflect on your mission, vision, and history. There are always great stories to tell about why you do what you do and how you got to where you are. What drives you? What are you proud of? Talk about the solutions you have for problems and pain points, and personalize those stories by explaining how you got the ideas for the solutions and why solving those problems is important to you. 

3. Talk about your values. Sometimes business owners are hesitant to share their personal views for fear of being misunderstood and losing business. Depending on your target market, you may find it more prudent to not discuss your values. However, if your customers are younger, you will almost definitely want to be transparent about your core values. Younger people don’t like their money going toward people who support causes they find abhorrent, and many don’t like to support businesses if they can’t tell what the owners are all about. If you’re concerned about offending people, the good news is that you probably (hopefully) aren’t harboring horrid and wildly unpopular beliefs that will lead to a boycott. It’s much more likely that by sharing your values, you’ll find like-minded individuals who will be your ideal clients.

4. Showcase your culture. Give people a behind-the-scenes look at daily operations, staff accomplishments, team building exercises, birthday parties, or any other events that make your company culture unique or appealing, especially if recruitment is one of your marketing goals.

5. Share your milestones. When you reach an important milestone like an anniversary, a specific number of clients served, or any other significant achievement, it’s a good time to tell the story of how you made it to that point. People love to hear about your successes, and they love to support businesses when they feel invested in the business’s journey. 

6. Bonus tip: Allow clients, customers, vendors, and community members to share their own stories about you. Testimonials and other pieces of user-generated content carry tremendous weight with audiences. The stories people tell about you can be as powerful as the stories you tell about yourself.