#1 Total recall: ‘Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts,’ says Jennifer Aaker, Professor of Marketing at Stan- ford university’s Graduate School of Business. Stories have plots, twists and turns, climaxes; they make points. Think how much easier it is to retell what you heard (or saw) from a narrative (written or visual) as opposed to relaying to a colleague details of your annual report.
#2 A break in the online noise: Storytelling is a nifty way to get heard in the very loud and busy environment that is all things media. A typical consumer may process around 100 000 words each day; add to this images, videos, graphics, ads (around 5.3 trillion of which are marketed a year), and it’s easy to see how data can be all consuming. Stories are the respite, the comfort, the entertainment (the reason why we love those cat videos).
#3 A way to personalise your company: We’d much rather read about how the CEO of a company managed to get to Everest Base Camp or plans to abolish the straw worldwide in his company profile than how he’s plotting to increase the firm’s market share and by how much and by when. Sure that’s important, but not to your audience. By giving them insight into who you are or what you stand for, it allows you to meet and greet them on a level playing field. If you know a company’s values are aligned to your own, you are more likely to enquire about their products. Storytelling allows you to do that, to get closer to your customers by building trust. And if the story’s good, they will definitely come back for more.
#4 A means to tell your brand’s story: In much the same way as you can personalise your company, you can personal- ise your brand. Tell the story in a way that makes the audience feel like they have made the journey with you, from con- ception to the present day, and from the present day to what you wish to achieve for the future, inviting them along for the adventure.
#5 Directly addressing a problem: By creating a scenario outlining a particular problem, be it insomnia, debt or a desire for healthy eating, and offering a step-by-step visual solution, with the help of an expert in the field, you connect with your target audience on a level of trust. Real-life stories speak to the heart of the family, build trust, and are easy to relate to.
Being able to tell a good story is a talent and a skill. Specialised content agencies can help you discover the stories your customers want to hear about your brand, or the articles they’d like to receive from you.