Did you know that storytelling can help unite your brand with your audience and bring new
perspective to an audience that has likely seen it all?
The first thing to do is to take a step back and analyze your business so that you could begin to identify a storytelling voice that will resonate with your market.
Once you’ve done that, the next step is to identify the type of story that will tie into your overall goals.
When it comes to storytelling in marketing, there are 3 main types of stories you can integrate into your
campaigns.
This includes:
BRAND STORIES
Brand stories are perhaps the most important stories you can share with your audience.
In fact, most of the top brands in your market likely began integrating storytelling into their campaigns from day one – during the actual brand creation process.
A brand story explains the purpose of your business and why it was created. It reveals to potential customers that you understand the problems in your market and have created solutions that will benefit them in some way.
These kind of stories transcend any other narrative your company might have. They present a snapshot of how your brand will connect your audience with the information they need or the topics they are most interested in.
It can also solidify your presence in your market and can establish your brand as an authority and thought-leader, even in highly crowded niches.
The best time to use a brand story is when you are looking to build brand loyalty. This type of storytelling can help validate a prospect’s decision to follow your brand when they are in the decision-making stage.
CUSTOMER STORIES
Customer stories comprise of testimonials from people who have successfully used your products or services.
These kind of stories are extremely powerful because they share the journey of success with new or prospective customers who may still be on the fence, unsure whether your product or services are a good fit for them.
The best time to use customer stories is within product launches and case studies that are designed to validate a product or service.
PERSONAL STORIES
Personal stories constitute the third type of marketing-based story-telling.
These can be powerful in establishing authenticity of a business because they’re designed to depict your personal journey.
This goes beyond why your business was created and instead, it requires you to be open and even vulnerable with your audience.
You’ll need to share personal struggles and accomplishments with your audience while also matching their level so they feel it’s possible for them to follow in your footsteps.
These stories are inspirational and will help to motivate your audience and give them a glimpse into the
outcome should they follow your brand.
When told in a relatable and sincere way, personal stories will become instrumental in getting your audience to have faith in your brand and believe the promise of your message.
They’ll begin to see themselves in a different way, dream of their own success and be excited about what’s in store should they go on the journey with you.
Consider using personal stories when you want to increase your sales and brand recognition or improve to engagement with your customers and get them excited about your upcoming offer.
So, what story will you tell? Take some time to think about what storytelling style and tone will likely resonate with your audience. If you do that, your story will begin to take shape.
In an upcoming article, I’ll show you how to ensure that you integrate important story-telling triggers into your campaigns so that you’re able to instantly connect with your audience.
While you are thinking about storytelling in marketing, be sure and sign up for our latest report: THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN MARKETING – YOU CAN FIND IT RIGHT ON THE HOME PAGE SIDEBAR…
