How to bring stories into your marketing

In a content saturated world, narrative can help you rise above the competition

Everyone, and every business, has a story to tell. If that story is told well it can help differentiate your brand and make it stand out in your sector and beyond. The key is to be authentic – think about the goals and values of your organisation and make sure they're always at the heart of your narrative.

A story has the potential to affect people deeply.

Recent research has shown that a well constructed tale has the power to engage people and persuade them to act. Stories have been used in marketing campaigns and advertising to great effect for many years, but it’s not just any old yarn that will elicit a response, to be effective they’ve got to be good.

Here's some tips to get you started:

Maximise your metaphors

Use language that stimulates a sensory response. Describing something in a way that evokes texture or movement brings it closer to the actual experience, making it more memorable and increasing the likelihood of inciting action.

Get inside their heads

Knowing who you are marketing to is a always a must, and creating well researched personas for your target audience will give your stories a focus and continuity across your team. This should always be the starting point of any campaign, as there's no point putting the effort into creating a story that won't work for your audience.

Make it relatable

Whether it's topical, or the re-invention of a popular story which people already have an affection for, try to tap into universal themes which people can empathise with.

Stay true to your brand

Even the most unlikely of brands have a story to tell. Showcase stories from employees, customers and other people in the industry. Don’t be afraid to use details like names, settings and a positive ending.

Use supportive stats

Facts and figures don’t need to be discarded, just bring them in judiciously. They add a lot in terms of credibility and can bolster your beautifully crafted tale.

Brand storytelling has boomed with the rise of digital content consumption. Whether it's a blog, video, or a twitter feed, focus on what your target audience want to read, watch or listen to.

Creating something that is worth their valuable time will be much easier if they are at the heart of the process of storytelling.

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