It seems that every marketing books, blogs and studies talk about how we should use the Storytelling as a marketing technique.
I could not agree more. Unfortunately, I think most of the attempts fall short.
Sellers clearly believe that storytelling is an essential component of marketing efforts. According to the Trends 2012 survey conducted by Holger Schulze for Optify, 81% of respondents say that compelling and compelling narration is one of the three most important aspects in content marketing.
Therefore, there is no argument to say that storytelling is critical to a company’s communication success. The question is why so many companies are doing it wrong and do not experiment with other types of narratives?
The stories do not evoke an emotion : There is a memorable story that is not based on emotions. For some companies, especially in the B2B sector, it is hard to imagine what emotions can trigger your products or services. That’s because marketers stay at the level of sales functions, without delving into the benefits that lie beneath.
If you dig deep enough, you will find the emotions behind your stories. Be sure to expose them in your story so your audience can relate and empathize with the people in the story.
Stories do not use data to give credibility: Data can be used in a wide variety of ways to tell your story. Think of visual information as an infographic or let these data suggest a new angle or perspective for you and your audience.
The story does not take us on a journey : In the version of the marketing of the narrative, often take shortcuts to get to the big reveal. Each story is, in essence, a journey that tells the problem, the struggle to solve the problem and how things are better once the problem is solved.
The results are also involved in more than tangible results. When history is rich in detail we also learn more about intangible results and the final value of delivering the right solution.
The story does not include a next / call to action step : This is where most marketers really miss the train. A well-crafted story that involves the viewer, helps him connect with the protagonist and feel his pain. The potential customer experiences the ups and downs in history and having a happy ending makes you want to participate in that type of result.
So the narration marketing version is, all too often, a big tease. It takes the reader to the limit, you get hungry for what is being sold, but you are not given a clear and defined step to have the product.
If this is not included as a part of the narrative, the grace of telling the story is lost. You are trying to help someone decide if your company / product has the answer to your problem. Once you show the potential customer that what you are offering is the best option, make sure you give him the opportunity to tell him yes.