Like to hear a great story? How about telling stories? Extraordinary stories and storytelling are a great way to spread ideas. Check out these marketing tools to learn more.
We don’t have an information shortage, we have an attention shortage.
Seth Godin
Facts are meaningless without a contextual story. Don’t tell facts to influence, tell stories. The more you improve storytelling, the more your influence increases… it is as simple as that.
Stories make it easier for people to understand. They are the best way, by far, to spread your ideas. Especially when there is a large competition for people’s attention.
Great storytelling and stories are a very integral part of being persuasive. If you want to persuade your customers and create a memorable experience at the same time, you must master the psychology of storytelling.
We noted this key fact, in our earlier blog: Some Great Story and Storytelling Examples to Study
Research led by Melanie Green and Timothy Brock reveals that trying to persuade people by telling them stories works extremely well. The reason that stories (when told well) are so appealing is that you can transport customers inside the story and get your point across without directly selling.
Researcher Jeremy Dean (founder of PsyBlog) notes the following on the effectiveness of stories:
Once inside the story, we are less likely to notice things which don’t match up with our everyday experience.
For example, an inspirational Hollywood movie with a ‘can-do’ spirit might convince us that we can tackle any problem, despite what we know about how the real world works.
Also, when concentrating on a story, people are less aware that they are subject to a persuasion attempt: The message gets in under the radar.
Free online marketing tools … marketplace has changed
Certainly, you have noticed the large abundance of choice in the market today. No needs go wanting, do they? Consumers have everything they require and therefore their decisions are based on what they want. And what they want is driven by what they believe.
Related post: Jaw Dropping Guerrilla Marketing Lessons and Examples
Why stories and storytelling
Facts often can be boring and overwhelming, can’t they? Stories, though, not nearly as much. They are much easier to understand and much more entertaining. Therefore they are much better at spreading ideas.
Change your life
Wonder if stories can change your life? They can if people believe they can. Facts are mostly non-relevant. What matters is what people think and believe.
Story/storytelling characteristics
Awesome stories and the storytelling used to tell them:
Are authentic and people should never question this.
They make a promise that has some meaning to the community.
Are targeted to a particular community.
They make subtle points … and are not overwhelming.
They are a trusted marketing tool.
Stories and storytelling appeal to our senses and not to logic.
And most importantly they are told with heart to appeal to emotions.
Marketing tools … the choice
Keep this in mind about consumer choices. They are not purchasing a physical product or service. They are purchasing feelings associated with those products and services.
Marketing tools examples … secrets of success
To be most successful, stories and storytelling must play to these secrets:
They must reinforce existing popular views.
Call attention to something new.
Focus on first impressions.
Tell only what YOU believe.
Related post: Digital Storytelling … 4 Ways to Employ for Message Persuasion
Be authentic.
Key takeaways
Remember to watch for your own biases. We often see what we are looking for so don’t let that happen to you. And keep an open mind.
As a storyteller, I know my audience is experiencing one of the above benefits as they listen to my serious or funny stories. I see their breathing change, their attention focus, and their foreheads wrinkle or relax. So much is happening in our shared experience.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to crafting quality narrative. It takes a ton of creativity as well as time, patience, planning, and polishing to give your brand’s story sparkle and make it shine. We recommend you dive into using creative stories!
Next time you are building a marketing campaign, use a great story built from these lessons.
Need some help in capturing more customers from your marketing strategies? Creative ideas to help the differentiation with potential customers?
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your marketing, branding, and advertising?
Do you have a lesson about making your marketing strategy better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way.
More reading on marketing strategy from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Marketing Branding … 9 Secrets to a Continuous Improvement Strategy
Target Market … How to Target for Best Marketing Campaigns
11 Steps to Media Framing Messages for Optimum Engagement