Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication, but did you know it’s also one of the most powerful tools for businesses today?
Running a successful business isn’t just about having the right products and services – it’s also about knowing how to tell an engaging, captivating story that will draw customers in and make them want what you have to offer. That’s why many savvy business owners are investing in business storytelling in their marketing and sales strategies; they know that stories create emotional connections with their consumers, inspire loyalty, and help build lasting relationships.
Your Business is no different.
Many experts have described business storytelling as “the key to unlocking a more successful future”, because there is not one person that could experience all that life could offer in one life span. And the older you get, the more stories you can share with others, provided that you have lived life to the fullest: tried, failed, rejected, succeeded, awareness, and actualised.
The ups and downs of life fascinate people from all walks of life. People tend to gravitate towards drama and enjoy living vicariously through other people’s life experiences. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube serve as proof that technology companies are capitalising on storytelling to generate significant revenue on their platforms. Their business model revolves around providing a platform for individuals to share their life experiences with subscribers and be rewarded (earning a share of ad revenue) for their craft in storytelling.
Likewise, your prospects and customers love a good story. And if you can attach a story behind your brand, products and services, you will trigger an emotional response within your ideal prospects that motivate them to take action: to buy, join, subscribe, sign up, book, register, etc.
Large corporations use Storytelling in their marketing campaign to push for sales. See the top 10 examples of business storytelling.
If you have difficulty finding your positioning in your marketplace, start with Storytelling by asking yourself what kind of Story you can attach and link your services (products) to improve conversion and strengthen your market positioning.
Storytelling positions your strength and unique selling proposition and separates you from competitors.
Think of the last time you purchased something or signed up for a service because you liked the persona (Story) of the brand that resonates with you: attitude, drama, triumph, pain, success, style, and mindset. Subconsciously, you buy from them because you can relate to their Stories.
2 Tips for Finding Your Story
If it’s done correctly, the Storytelling strategy will attract your ideal customer and repel the nasty ones. And here are some suggestions to find your Story and convert it into a marketing cannon: –
- A story about your triumph and failures (Rags to riches)
Have you ever heard the saying “Success is built on many failures”? It’s a great way to illustrate that even when times get tough, there can be a lesson or two to learn. Find a story of an entrepreneur (you perhaps?) who repeatedly tried to develop the perfect product – but each time, they failed. And after dozens of failed attempts, they finally developed the winning idea that made them successful. This is a classic example of triumph through failure – and a reminder to never give up even in the face of adversity. To see a sample of this storytelling strategy in action, observe some of the YouTube Ads that you are getting. - A Zero-to-Hero Story (The Hero Journey)
A zero-to-hero story is a great way for small business owners to connect with their customers and demonstrate the power of their business journey. For example, take the story of a local coffee shop owner who started with an idea but no money. With determination and hard work, they slowly grew and eventually opened up their own store. With each ste $40 in this is $20 60 is 20 is it and look how much $77.90p forward, the business achieved greater success – and the customers were there every step of the way, witnessing the owner’s journey from humble beginnings all the way to becoming a successful entrepreneur. This is a classic zero-to-hero story that serves as an emotional connection to the customers and future prospects.
Your Story emotionalises your branding persona (or personality) by hooking their interest and anchoring a deep sense of familiarity into your Offer. And in most instances, your customers are buying your brand and persona.
The key to success in this step is understanding your prospects so well that you can feel what they see.
CONCLUSION
Business Storytelling is a marketing strategy where your company incorporate any of the three types of Storytelling strategies into your Offer, Product, or Services. All marketing campaigns use Storytelling to sell on the emotions of your target segments. If done successfully, your market will relate and resonate better with your brand, thus making purchasing decisions easy.
Storytelling is the key to unlocking a more successful future for your business. Incorporating a story into your marketing strategies can help attract and engage prospects and customers, while also spreading the news of what makes your business stand out from the rest. By incorporating stories in your business growth plans, such as a Rags to Riches story or The Hero Journey, you have the potential to amplify success. By combining compelling content with powerful visuals, you have yourself the winning combination for truly captivating storytelling. If you would like to learn more about how to turn your message into stories that will inspire customer loyalty, then join either our Business Growth Workshop or Mastermind.
