For as long as humans have enjoyed food, drink, and each other’s company, they have enjoyed stories. During much of our history, stories were the primary way of passing information down from one generation to the next, and many of those still endure: Ancient Greek myths, fairy tales, the Bible – all of these are made richer for being stories.
But how can a story help your email marketing and transform sales? Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…
The Power of Storytelling Marketing
Once upon a time, back in the halcyon days of the 1980s, there was a company that made coffee. It wasn’t particularly good coffee, but by the standards of the 80s, any old brown liquid in a cup was enough to get people talking.! Nescafé Gold Blend wasn’t obscure, but it was hardly the household name it became. Then, a team of particularly smart marketers came up with a soap opera-like love story. Starring Sharon Maughan and a young Anthony Head (he who went on to become Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the Gold Blend adverts were a phenomenon.
Why? Because they were a story we could connect to.
Enough that by the end of six years – Gold Blend had its own fans! – Nescafé Gold Blend wasn’t just a known brand of coffee, it was such a household name that practically everyone in Britain knew it. Sales increased by 50%.
It was all down to the story. It was engaging and connected to people on a very human level.
Stories tap into the emotions of not just its customers, but others too. Stories help to make your brand more relatable and memorable – studies have shown that attaching a fact to a narrative makes it far more likely to be remembered, with estimates ranging from 6-7 times more memorable right up to 20!
Whether it is six or 20, that’s a level of sticky brand awareness that is well worth the extra effort!
Types of Stories That Sell
Don’t worry, you don’t need to write stories that can be turned into huge Hollywood blockbusters or with the language skills of one of the Brontë sisters – your business will naturally be full of stories that work, you just need to know where to look.
Customer Testimonials
While “They were great. 5 stars” isn’t really something you can base a tale around, many of your customer testimonials will be engaging enough to feature, creating social proof and trust in your brand.
Brand Origin Stories
Share your journey – it’s amazing how it humanises your brand and creates a deeper link with your audience. Even the most mundane sounding beginnings can become an interesting and valuable moment of inspiration and connection that paints a picture of who you are; after all, the outwardly boring “started in a garage” stories of companies such as Apple and Atari have become an arresting part of multiple books, films, and TV series, as well as spurring a generation of entrepreneurs to believe in themselves.
Product-Focussed Narratives
Stories are an amazing way to showcase a product, its concept, benefits, and USPs in a relatable and engaging way. People are drawn into accounts of a product’s life story, especially if enhanced with visuals such as design sketches, creating an emotional affinity with that product that can’t be undervalued. The feeling of “I know how that was made” goes a long way to moving someone toward purchasing.
Behind-the-Scenes Stories
Customers love to have a glimpse into your company and its inner workings. Many companies have thrived and greatly enhanced their brand loyalty through website content that provides insight into the processes of design and development. Giving your customers this window into your business builds transparency and authority.
Everyday Stories
Sharing relatable anecdotes turns you from a distant corporate entity into a real human and creates a personal connection with your audience, subtly promoting your products and services.
Consider the impact of “Just this morning, I was enjoying my daily Matcha tea”, especially those who enjoy similar drinks; or, how “I was scrolling through my inbox, when I stopped in my tracks…” paints a picture to which people can relate.
It’s easy to see how an everyday event can become a story – and don’t you just want to know what that email was?!
Creating Compelling Stories
So how do you go from business owner to storyteller? Here are my top tips:
- Know your audience - It’s essential you understand your target audience’s needs, interests, and (most importantly) pain points.
- Be authentic - Honesty and transparency are key. Fakes stand out a mile off.
- Use conflict and resolution - This is the bit that takes a little skill; your story needs a clear narrative arc with a relatable problem (the pain point) and a satisfying solution (how your product or service helped).
- Keep notes - Scribble down the little events in your day and train yourself to think creatively about them. Got sent the wrong item from Amazon? That’s a story about customer service and double-checking info. (True story, by the way: I ordered a mattress and received a filing cabinet… It was very uncomfortable.)
Integrating Stories into Your Marketing
Now that you have lots of stories to share, what do you do with them?
- Social media - share your stories in posts, reels, and live videos.
- Blog posts - weave your tales into your blog content to make it interesting and shareable.
- Email marketing - use storytelling in email campaigns to nurture leads and drive conversions.
- Website content - incorporate stories on your website that showcase your brand’s personality and values.
Stories aren’t just for kids at bedtime, or nights curled up in front of Netflix – increase engagement and sales by sharing yours. If you’d like a little professional help making the most of your stories, contact Nathan Littleton today.
