Traditional marketing is focused on pushing the customer to buy products or services from your company. On the other hand, storytelling is unique to humans and one way to pass information down from one generation to the next. Stories can be used to teach right from wrong or learn a specific lesson, but they’re also used to pass the time or form a connection with someone else. By incorporating storytelling into your brand, you can help potential customers relate to your business. Find out why your company needs a good story and how to create one.
Stories Are Relatable
A good story is relatable. Whether you identify with the villain or the hero of a story, you’re secretly rooting for them as you listen or read along. With some stories, you may be examining your own life and seeing the resemblance it has to what you’re reading. Relatable stories engage your customers, because everyone is struggling in one way or another. When your potential customers discover that you’re not perfect and have been struggling just like everyone else through your story, they’ll like your company even more.
Stories Are Memorable
Your customers probably won’t remember the name of your company’s CEO or how many years you have been in business, but stories are differentOpens a new window . Bestselling authors who share their struggles with writing when they were in school and successful entrepreneurs who started out in their garage are more memorable than the business owner who is merely pushing their products or services. The latter may have something useful to sell, but they’re not as interesting the real person behind a brand who isn’t that much different from you.
Build a Connection
People form connections on an emotional level, which is why they can form a connection with your brand through authentic storiesOpens a new window . If you were struggling with acne and developed a product that cures it, your customers will identify with your struggles. Many great products and services arose out of a need to fix a problem, and it’s important to share what was bothering you and how you arrived at the solution.
Customers Don’t Want to Be Sold
Traditional marketing focuses on selling products and services to customers. While you have to make money to keep your business running, your customers don’t want to be sold. By sharing your story, you’re casually inviting people to get to know you and your brand. If they can relate to your story, you have already done a lot to earn their trust.
The Ingredients of a Good Company Story
Now that you understand the importance of telling your company’s storyOpens a new window , you may be ready to start writing. Before you do, let’s take a look at the ingredients of a good company story. Since your story isn’t a fiction narrative like a traditional fairy tale, it may be a little trickier to stick to what matters. It’s important to remind your customers about what they have in common with your brand, how you can solve their problems and why your business matters.
Share Your Uniqueness
To engage potential customers, you must pinpoint the things that are unique about your business. Whether you donate half of your proceeds to a charity, allow every customer to speak with the CEO or inspect every product by hand before shipping it — there is something about how you run your business that is different from your competitors. It’s your job to explain to your customer what makes your business one-of-a-kind. If you’re having difficulties coming up with ideas, you can interview your employees and look for the most common and the most unusual responses.
What Problems Do You Solve?
Your customers are not interested in buying a product, but they may be interested in solving one of their current problems. This could be a small problem, such as bad dog breath, or a big problem, such as a broken-down car. Your company is making your customers’ lives better in some small or big way, and you need to tell them how you do that. Whether you offer chewable vitamins that make doggy kisses enjoyable or reliable auto mechanic services that keep your customer’s vehicle maintained, you’re solving a problem — and it may be a pressing one.
Why Your Company Matters
It’s important to share with your customers why your company matters. Why was the business created, and what are the founders passionate about? Many businesses are launched to solve a problem for the entrepreneur, and the idea takes off from there. Your company may also have a vision of what it wants to achieve. Whether you want to be a 100-year company or ensure that every customer is satisfied with their purchase, there are probably several different answers for why your company matters. Share these answers with your customer in your story.
Stories help people connect with one another. Your company story is a wonderful way to share information, make an impression and build a connection with your customers. Your business has a story even though it may be hidden, and it’s your job to tell it to the world. Entrepreneurs may need some help from a professional marketing team to develop the story in a way that’s easy to share with others. When you talk about the problems you can solve and what you can do, potential customers become engaged with your brand more than if you were to merely push your products and services.