How Marketers/Brands use storytelling- And you can too!

Here’s a quick exercise, Ever heard of the stories of The tortoise and the Hare? The lion and the mouse? Now What’s 13*8?

The point is: you never sat down and learned these stories by heart, but you do remember them, however, you did learn the tables but still face problem in getting to the direct answer. This proves, Stories are memorable and catchy, compared to the stats you share with the other person.

And another great reason to use storytelling is……..

It helps to connect with your customers, on a deeper level by building emotional connection towards you and your prospect.

WHY DOES STORYTELLING WORK?

Telling a tale triggers the release of hormones oxytocin and cortisol. Such hormones, generate feelings of trust and empathy.

Stories help people understand your brand’s “why” instead of “what”. Stories show that you are authentic and human, and makes them trust you. And it is as true as it sounds, “Emotions drive people”.

Storytelling helps businesses and content marketers design captivating content that builds loyalty and trust. Including data and facts only makes the story more interesting and lively.

In the book “Make to stick” An eye opening data is revelead

‘After a presentation, 63% of people remember stories. Only 5% remember a statistic.’

A good story motivates people to take action. It nurtures them to see the light and bring a change.

HOW MARKETERS AND BRANDS ARE USING STORYTELLING?

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” — Seth Godin

The following example shows the story of a brand building connections and coming together.

#1 TOMS- ONE FOR ONE

The Roots of TOMS lied in their one-to-one modal. It goes as…

Each time someone buys their shoes, another pair would be donated to someone in need. It encouraged people to feel as if they are a part of something meaningful and worthy, later on…TOMS donated more than 95 million pairs.

The next examples, represent stories of creative thinking.

#2 Darling Magazine

The creative story of this brand, encourages us to see beauty in every type of women, questioning the cultural ideas of beauty.

The story starts by defining a clear problem. many magazines gives us a perception of “the ideal bodies” which portrays that women are always in a need of “adjustment”. The Darling magazine, never uses photoshop to filter women’s faces or bodies. and also promotes products within the average income.

#3 JU.ST- the best mayonnaise and cookies in the world

Ju.st is determined to create a world that’s kinder to animals and our environment.

They launched their first product- just mayo. It contains no eggs. Its delightful, better for your wallet and the environment! They also have Just Cookies: sustainable, cholesterol-free, and dairy-free.

Every great brand, Has a story! Share the story of your motivation,and people will listen!

STORYTELLING IN SALES

Storytelling, again, will help you to build personal relationships and connections with your prospect, it makes your product memorable.

Stories take buyers on an emotional journey.

for example, rather than using ‘Our product does X, Y and Z.’ you can try

‘One customer who I helped this summer found that X, Y and Z helped her achieve her goals.’

The goal is not to list down the features and benefits, but to make relations and help people to feel closer to you. Sales is not just about winning and taking it all to yourself, It is to help buyers from where they are right now to a better place.

For example, this piece represents perfectly what we mean, here, we are not just talking about the benefits, we are diving deep into our buyers journey, their life, visions, and their psychographics.

Another great Tip is…. Use testimonials and Case studies, and know objections in advance. It is highly powerful to demonstrate how previous clients got their results using your service/product.

FINALLY……HOW CAN YOU TELL GREAT STORIES?

• YOUR STORY — start with your “why”.

What is your mission? What problem are you trying to solve? What setbacks did you overcome?.

Try to build relations, Show that you genuinely have a concern for their business, rather than making it feel like you are just there for a fast buck.

Use “the second person” Pronouns, such as “you” or “your” in your story, Do not completely make it about yourself or the third person.

• THE KEY ELEMENTS OF A GREAT STORY

listeners remember stories up to 22 times more often than facts and figures alone.

But, what are the key aspects of a compelling, great story?

If you are looking to use storytelling as a marketing strategy, it is crucial to understand 3 main steps, the hero, the plot and the solution.

1. The hero- In your marketing strategy, The hero is your “customer” or your “target audience”. Remember, it’s a story about the “hero’s journey” as they look to solve their problem, with the help of your services/product.
2. The plot- This section relates to the problem your customer is facing. just like a “Hero” faces obstacles and conflicts in achieving their goal, your “Hero” in this case your customer, encounters a problem. Achieving their goal has a great transformative impact on their lives.
3. The solution- it is the section where your service/product uniquely resolves the plot. The “hero”, in this case, your customer, Should see how your brand helps them to actively resolve the issue, and feel the emotions that come with the completion of their goal.

USE THESE STEPS TO CRAFT A GREAT STORY-

1) Introduce a hero- the hero has a goal and The customers should see themselves at the hero position.

2) Reveal the obstacle- show the obstacle hero needs to overcome, and the conflit- internally or with others.

3)The outcome- Show the hero overcoming the obstacles and the challenges, bring forth positive emotions. Allow the customers to see the impact and how it will lead them to achieve their goals.

4)The main idea- explain what you want your audience to get from the story (the purpose).

Before planning your story, however, study the target market first, understand your audience’s goals and visions. The first step is to tap into your buyer’s persona, Build trust by showing them your brand’s Visions, Craft a good story that give rise to the perception of How your brand can help to improve their life.

FINAL WORDS

Here we are at the end of this blog.

What’s the takeaway? Stories are f******g Brillant!!

Our favorite brands, Apple, Disney, Coca-cola All have different stories to tell, And how you tell them, is what makes it unique and Inspires people to feel something, Involving the emotional side of consumers Is the main purpose of storytelling.

Remember, The Hero is not your product/service. The Hero is not you… It is your “customer”. Know them like you know your friends, Dive deep in what drives them, what pain points your “Hero” is facing, and It’s your responsibility to build deep connections (through storytelling). provide a clear “vision” and evoke the “emotional side” of the consumer while you take them on this journey of problem-solving! Who is the solution here?

IT’S YOU!