The other day I was on the phone with my mom when she lowered her voice: “ What time will be here, I have a story for you.”
I knew it was going to be a goodie: serving all the scandal, intrigue, and twists you expect – and demand.
Now, it’s not just that I’m nosy (I am), but like most people I love a good story.
If you’re a brand – even if you’re in B2B tech – you can use narrative to better connect with your customers.
Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts. (Download the PDF for the transcript.)
And when you’re writing content online, use the dynamic nature of the internet to add to your stories.
Brand Storytelling
Like most commentary on brands and stories, this one includes a mention of Apple, and it’s the brand’s legendary 1984 ad.
Set underneath the ad was the story of Apple: an underdog and rebel daring to be different in a world dominated by mindless drones serving an oppressive state.
Apple even got Hollywood director Ridley Scott to head the shoot.
One of the writers, Steve Hayden, recalls how the iconic spot took shape under Scott’s direction:
“Director Ridley Scott had everything to do with making “1984” great. Lee Clow had suggested that the heroine who runs in and smashes the screen with Big Brother haranguing the masses should carry a baseball bat. But Ridley insisted that a far better symbol would be a hammer. He was right, of course, and, as a result, the spot actually foreshadowed the fall of the Iron Curtain.”
The experts say it’s one of the first examples of a brand selling itself through story.
But everything about Apple has always been alluring.
The ad showcases the power of storytelling. And you don’t need a big budget to start tapping into the power of storytelling to use these techniques.
Stories are ancient and enduring, and give you a new opportunity to connect with your customers.
In Contagious, Jonah Berger, writes:
“Narratives are inherently more engrossing than basic facts. They have a beggining, middle and end. If people get sucked in, they’ll stay for the conclusion. When you hear people tell a good story you hang on eveyr word…You started down a path and you want to know how it ends. Until it does, they’ve captured your attention.”
Jonah Berger, Contagious
The Elements of a Good Story
So, we know we like stories, but do we know why?
In Anatomy of a Story, John Truby, writes:
“Stories don’t show the audience the “real world”; they show the story world. The story world isn’t a copy of life as it is. It’s life as human beings imagine it could be. It is human life condensed and heightened so that the audience can gain a better understanding of how life works.”
When your business brings these elements to your marketing, you’re presenting the highlights of a common dilemma facing your customer. And you’re “condensing” and sharing it in a way that makes it easier your audience to relate.
So how can your business tell stories?
HubSpot suggests beginning with the basics. What kind of story are you telling?
To do this, they recommend determining how you want to audience to feel or react.
They break it up to a few categories:
- To get to your audience to take action – think of any type of conversion
Convey a story that shows a customer completed a specific action in the past and how your customers can do the same. It’s the transformation. For instance, if you have some type of automation software, you might tell a story of a customer that used your product to save time and money.
- Convey your values
Research shows customers are willing to pay for products from companies who are perceived as caring. Of course, only do this if you actually share these values. Customers have a high BS-radar and if you try to insert yourself into something because it’s trendy, people will see right through it and you will be criticised. (Looking at you, PEPSI).
If you’re conveying your values, you can use universal emotions. This makes sense: we’re all so different but we all experience shared human emotions:
- Happiness
- Sadness
- Excitement
- Disappointment
- Pride
You can find the complete list of actions you want your audience to take in this post on HubSpot.
Storytelling Formulas fit for Digital Media
Once you have figured out what action you need your customers to take, you can put these formulas to work.
Buffer lists some here, and while many of these focus on social media marketing, you can apply it to your business blog, too.
Now, we’re not after a copy and paste magic trick here.
No, we want to pick it apart and understand why it works.
Below, I’ll discuss the three-act structure, Buffer highlights on its article.
Here’s a breakdown of the three-act structure:
- Setup the scene and introduce the character
- Explain the problem and the tension in your character’s life
- Resolve the problem – if you’re further down the funnel, here’s where you introduce your product
Here’s an example from the post:
This is actually a great example of a customer success story. Convince and Convert said the best stories usually come from your customer:
“…but when you find those that truly touch people’s hearts, invest in bringing them to life and prioritize them over your product message.”
Using Storytelling to Drive Conversions
Now, you may be thinking this sounds simple enough, but where is the return on investment?
Neil Patel writes that storytelling pais off.
And here is how you get the job done right:
- Create a content strategy
Marketers who document their content strategy have more success with it.
Patel adds another benefit of documenting your content strategy is that you can keep track of your progress.
- Focus on emotions
Patel suggests focusing on emotions as people resonate more with emotions than facts.
Storytelling gives you a powerful vehicle to put your brand message into an interesting package. Paired with facts, stories connect with your customers and move them to act.
Think of something that’s happened to you in a business mentor in a book. Even a customer (whose permission you have) could be the star of your next story. It’s a business tool. How can you use it today?
