Fully-automated, digitally-driven communication has become the new normal. Couple that with #ad and #sponsored content, and it’s easy to see why consumers today are craving greater authenticity and transparency—and a more human touch—from brands competing for their attention.
One great way to make your brand more relatable, and to make an emotional connection with your customers, is to use more and well-scripted storytelling in your content marketing. A recent Forbes article sums up the value of a solid brand story: “Brand storytelling is the cohesive narrative that weaves together the facts and emotions that your brand evokes.”
A good story tells the “why” behind you brand. Not only why customers should buy your product or service, but also why your brand exists, and more importantly, why it matters to your audience.
Read the full article here: 3 Reasons Why Brand Storytelling is the Future of Marketing – Forbes.com
Storytelling allows you to differentiate your brand in a sea of sameness.
What makes your brand unique is often what resonates most with customers. Wrap your brand into a compelling story narrative—and don’t just throw out facts, figures and testimonials. You’ll make an emotional connection with your target audience.
And it’s a brand connection they’re more likely to remember. Research shows that messages delivered as stories can be up to 22 times more memorable than just facts. For example, instead of merely focusing on data, use short narratives that introduce the people behind your initiatives. Tell them what was the inspiration behind your new product innovation. Explain the efforts that led to your successes (or misses), your greatest lessons, most memorable events, and so on. Your audience will be able to visualize your story—and most likely, remember your brand.
Forbes offers this story-building advice: “Use your story to create a deep emotional connection: start conversations, ask for engagement (no strings attached), involve your audience in what you do as a business.” That involvement creates a bond with your brand, which in turn, builds brand loyalty.
As we know, people want to buy from brands that they know and trust. This underscores the importance of creating those narratives that demonstrate who you are, what your stand for and how your brand makes a difference to customers.
Next week, I’ll outline the latest trends in brand storytelling that you may want to include as part of your content marketing strategy.
