Storytelling is a powerful way to connect customers to your brand. From a consumer’s perspective, the story behind your brand differentiates your product or company from a similar one. Read MORE to find out how a simple story can capture the hearts of your customers and your competition!
Within our society filled with advertisement overload and persuasive sales people, the greatest way to capture your audience’s attention is to sell them on the core ideals and values of your brand in a unique way. Chances are, consumers have come upon your business because they sense a better value in your product or service compared to your competitors. By promoting those differences, your company’s story and rationale will come to mind when consumers are shopping for your product.
So, what’s your story? In the e-book “The Beginners Guide to Online Marketing,” authors Neil Patel and Ritika Puri define brand storytelling as:
- The reason why your company came to be
- What motivates your team to wake up and come to work everyday
- How your product came to be
- What types of customers find value in working with your brand and why
- A transparent view into the people behind the company
- A relationship-building tool
- More subtle than you realize
- A concept that underscores your entire web presence
- Something that your entire team, at organizational levels, embraces
- A look into who you are as a company
- Direct
Spin your story to focus on the value consumers get when engaging with your product or service, while invoking an emotional appeal. One great example of brand storytelling is Apple – a company whose unique personality always comes to mind when consumers think of their brand.
Apple values innovation and “bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world.” Apple is known for having keynote speeches by its CEO to introduce their new products before they are advertised. In these speeches, millions tune in to connect with the brand and hear about new products and recent updates– catered to how the consumer will use its products. Apple then takes the same clear, concise, informative approach across platforms through its website, advertisements, and even in the way the products are presented at Apple stores.
Another exceptional storytelling brand that hits closer to home is Midwest Mattress. Through radio ads, the mattress company shares its value to its customers from the voice of its spokesperson, Tom Hansen.
Listening to the “Made in Iowa” ad, Hansen gave a factorial anecdote about great things that are “Made in Iowa” including corn, athletes, movie stars and, of course, mattresses, to catch the listener’s attention. Conversationally, he throws in “more than 90 percent of all mattresses sold at Midwest Mattress are made in Iowa.” Honoring the hard working Iowans that make most of the inventory available at Midwest mattress, Hansen goes on to include a few Iowa cliches as well! By candidly sharing Midwest Mattress’ points of difference through a figurehead who conveys himself as human and conversational, the mattress store sets itself apart from the average ads of its competition.
We have all heard the phrases “It isn’t about what you say, but how you say it,” and “Facts tell, stories sell.” By crafting a message rooted in the reality of your brand, product and industry, good stories can give big voices to small ventures. By promoting your company’s values internally and externally, your consumers will also live and breathe your mission when engaging and sharing your products. That kind of marketing is invaluable for your business!
