Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories that you tell.Seth Godin
Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories that you tell.
It rings even more true in today’s world marked by an ocean of content competing for dwindling attention spans. And it’s not just another marketing trend, as science has found that the human brain responds to the descriptive traits of stories in ways that influence both the sensory and motor complex. As pointed out by Kissmetrics, the process of absorbing a story produces greater comprehension, understanding, anticipation and receptivity — the net effect of which is trust — something that an increasing number of brands have placed greater importance on developing.
“A good story makes you feel something and is universal,” explains Ford Europe’s Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Mark Truby. “They want to grasp your values and your commitment to excellence; be inspired and intrigued. Storytelling is the most powerful way to convey these ideas.”
Digital marketing agency Custom Fit Online defines the concept as the complete narrative that surrounds a business, which shows not only how you do business, but why you do it in the first place, and how you’re uniquely qualified to help solve your customers’ problems. It’s important to note that brand stories, and brand storytelling as a marketing strategy, is not meant to be a sales pitch (at least not directly). It is a way to humanize your brand and company, and to facilitate more meaningful connections between the business and its customers.
Because brand stories help develop trust, and create connections with your customers, they have also become an excellent way to tap into the customers’ emotions. And because people ultimately make buying decisions based on those very emotions, it has become integral for brands to use emotional branding thru storytelling to avoid being forced to compete solely based on features and price points.As noted by i-SCOOP, when you are able to tell a story that embodies human challenges, you are able to create experiences that resonate with your customers.
The best brand stories are able to tap into people’s emotions, and have them connect to either what the brand does, what it stands for, or where it came for. With such successful brand storytelling, businesses are able to create and foster relationships that eventually lead to long-term brand loyalty. But in order to craft a story that resonates with your customers, you must keep in mind that people always care more about themselves than they do about your brand, so not only must your story include them, it must engage them highly. Ultimately, while it may be your brand story, it’s not about you, it’s about creating a connection that tells your customers that you relate, understand, and are like them.