Don't Underestimate The Power of Storytelling
What’s that saying, never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Who doesn’t like a good yarn?
Storytelling has been around for donkey’s years, in fact, “the earliest known record in the origin of storytelling were found in Egypt, when the sons of Cheops (also known as Khufu, ancient Egyptian monarchy) entertained their father with stories”, says one source.
This source goes onto say, “In 700 B.C, the first printed story, The Epic of Gilgamesh, was created and began to spread from Mesopotamia to other parts of Europe and Asia. The story was carved on stone pillars for all to see, which spread the story around very quickly.”
Storytelling is very nifty. It helps us connect information to emotions.
As we are all emotional beings we connect to brands with our emotions. Therefore, using storytelling as a marketing strategy can help organisations to connect in a more relatable, natural and memorable way.
In fact, “92 percent of consumers want major brands to make ads feel like a story.”
When I think of brands I relate to that incorporate the art of telling a story, there’s the beer label Corona and their tag line, "From Where You'd Rather Be". The images, the message and the content, is something I identify with and experience an emotional connection to. The sense of freedom, relaxation and beach images really speaks to me.
Image: Monster Children
There’s also the brand Snickers. I can relate to their hangry theme, “You’re not You When You’re Hungry," and Alf’s iconic Australian sayings.
One brand that has caught my attention recently is Maggi and their packet mixes. I suppose I’m not the best chef and enjoy regular disasters in the kitchen. I genuinely relate to the idea of being clumsy, messy and not always using the correct ingredients.
All of these speak perfectly to me and my emotions and never once at me. It’s more of a show don’t tell concept.
Something to note, even though the brands I have used as examples are big brands, that's not to say small businesses can’t also adopt a storytelling approach. It can be done, just on a smaller scale. Here's an example we created for Haynes Group.
The beauty of storytelling has many benefits:
It's an effective communication tool that is memorable
It makes your brand relatable
It can help to subtly solve a problem for your audience
Helps your brand to form an emotional connection with your target market
An opportunity to create personal and shareable content
Can be modified and adapted to many different forms e.g. content, advertising, video
Motivates people to take action
With stiff competition out there in the marketplace, the key is to try and stand out from the crowd.
Studies have proven that consumers make a choice to either become a customer or client based on the emotional connection they have with a brand. One study found that “55% of people more likely to purchase from a brand if they love the story they tell.”
With this knowledge you are one step ahead of your competitors and it’s time to start working storytelling into your strategy if you’re not already.
Take home tip, keep it simple, keep it authentic.
Happy storytelling.
P.S. If you need help to tell your story, let us know.
