The importance of storytelling in business
Stories. The word is full of them. They’re part of our day to day lives but it’s only recently that brands are starting to realise the importance of storytelling for business and using stories as a way to engage and connect with their customers in a meaningful, authentic way.
Believe it or not, customers want to know more about the brands that they’re doing business with. They want to discover what makes you tick, what your values are and what goes on behind the scenes. The same applies whether you are a global corporation with offices in London, Paris and New York, or a one-man operation working from your dining room table at home.
When I talk to business owners about the impact that storytelling can have on marketing their business their reaction is often one of surprise. They might say something like ‘I’m not a storyteller, I don’t know anything about stories, nothing that interesting goes on in my business.’ The simple truth is that you don’t need to be some kind of JK Rowling wannabe to have a story to share. Stories are all around us, they’re weaved into the very fabric of our daily lives and routines. Just have a think for a moment about what you’ve done today for example. What’s happened to you so far? What would you tell your friends and family about if you were chatting to them over a cuppa? I can already think of a few things that have happened today that I would retell as a story. It’s only 11am and I’ve already had a baking disaster with a lemon drizzle cake that I’ve had to scrape off the oven with a chisel. I’ve shared this disaster with my friends and family over a WhatsApp group, much to everyone’s amusement of course, but that’s a story right there. In fact, it’s already been renamed the ‘lemon chisel cake’ and has been committed into family legend.
Perhaps you’ve been thinking that you’d like to share a story about your business but you’re not sure where to start and what you need to know. Before putting pen to paper it’s worth considering some of the different types of stories that can be used in business.
Origin Stories
Origin stories are great as they really get to the heart of what makes you tick and inspired you to start your business in the first place. They give us a glimpse of the human element behind the brand and make you instantly relatable. People like to buy from people they like and trust after all. Think about sharing stories showcasing life behind the scenes in your business. What’s a typical day like? Who’s in your team and what do they do? What challenges have you overcome to get where you are today? What failures and triumphs have you faced on your journey? Readers appreciate and connect and with brands that can share their journey and the highs and lows that come with it.
Brand Value Stories
These kind of stories are a great way to build confidence and trust in your brand. What’s important to you as a business? What are the key things that you just won’t comprise on? People need to get to know and trust your business and, to do that, they need to know what’s important to you. Conveying your values to your audience is a very effective way to tap into your readers emotions and make them think about how your values relate to their own lives.
Social Action Stories
Social action stories are very popular right now and they help to build a sense of trust and positivity around your brand. Is your business taking steps to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable? Are you organising a fundraising drive or perhaps donating a percentage of your product sales to a nominated charity? In the UK right now lots of brands are helping to raise money to help support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic. If your business is doing something awesome like this, then tell people about it. Speaking personally, I know that I love to support brands that are giving something back to the world and I’m far more likely to connect and engage with them.
Customer Journey Stories
When someone buys your product or service what happens next? What’s the next stage in the journey? Whatever industry your business is based in there’s bound to be a story to tell about what happens when your product or service is delivered. Perhaps your business repurposes used IT equipment that ends up helping schools overseas? Or your sell dog collars that are now being put through their paces by a muddy pack of terriers in Oxfordshire or a Crufts agility star? Tell your customers about these adventures your products are having!
Instructional Stories
Can you share a story that will help your audience learn how to do something? This could be a guide based around your products or services, step by step instructions detailing how to perform a specific task, or even an instructional video showing something like beauty tips or hair styling techniques. Stories don’t have to be presented purely in a written form. Think about what your customers most often ask you about. Is that something you can create a ‘how to’ guide for?
Problem Solving Stories
Providing helpful hints and tips is a powerful way to get your audience’s attention as it helps to build credibility and makes you a topic authority. People value content that is useful and if you can provide a solution to a problem that they’re struggling with you’re on to a winner. Think about the kinds of problems that your products or services solves for your customers. Share a story that details a logistical issue that you may have helped someone to overcome, or perhaps a way in which you’ve enabled a customer to save money. Everyone loves a problem solver after all.
Whatever type of story it is that you’re looking to tell about your business it’s important to make sure that you know your audience and you’ve thought about who wants to hear your story. To ensure that your story connects with readers, you need to understand them and have thought about who is likely to respond and take action. Make sure you’ve done some research about your target market before you put pen to paper. Whatever kind of business owner you are and whatever industry you’re based in, your customers want to hear the stories that you have to share.
Stories inspire and motivate us, they’re about people and emotion, they bring us together and create a sense of purpose. If I’ve managed to convince you that the art of storytelling is one that’s worth taking the time to master for your business and you’d like some help getting started, just drop me an email or check out my Services page to see how I can help.