Human beings, by nature, are drawn to a narrative. We love to tell stories, listen to stories, and think of our lives as a story. Brands and their marketing agencies have tapped into this inherent need by increasingly weaving storytelling into their marketing techniques—so much so that “brand storytelling” is an essential element to any business. But what if you don’t see yourself as a natural storyteller? What can you do to market your product or service in a way that captures the imagination of your target audience? Let’s talk about some ways to add the storytelling element to your marketing process more effectively. Your story is what makes you unique.
Make the Buyer the Hero in the Story
One popular approach to brand storytelling is re-creating the classic “hero’s journey” with the buyer as the protagonist. (Marketers refer to this as the “buyer’s journey.”) Just as the mythic hero embarks on a journey, encounters problems, defeats the villain, and wins the day, look for ways to help your buyer identify as the hero. Help them solve a problem, encounter pain points, and ultimately solve the problem and win the day with your product or service.
Tell Your Customer’s Stories
One great way to implement the buyer’s journey idea above is to tell other happy customers’ stories—people with whom your target audience can relate. Some brands even provide a platform for customers to create content and tell their stories directly. While you might see this as giving testimonials, it’s more than that—you’re drawing your customer base into the narrative, making them a part of the larger story of your brand success.
Tell Your Own Story
Everyone has a story —you have a story. So does your company and brand. At some point in your marketing process, you must tell that story to your audience. Describe the concept for your company, the problems you faced that led to your product’s creation, how the product solved your problems and others’ problems, etc. Weave your story in a way that creates a connection with your audience and look for the parts of your story that will help your customers see themselves in the narrative.
That last point is the crux of brand storytelling. It’s not just about telling an interesting story—it’s about helping people find themselves in the story. You may not believe you have a gift for storytelling, but that’s not the point. The point is that your product offers something that will make your customers’ story better. The key is to help them see themselves in your narrative so they’ll buy into the vision. Wicked Bionic can help you craft a compelling brand story that will resonate with your audience. Reach out to find out how we can help.