Research has shown that one of the principal influences on the consumer’s buying decision is whether or not they like your brand and products. They won’t buy something they dislike but are much more likely to buy if they have the positive emotional engagement that “likeability” confers.
If you can create a good story that makes your brand or products seem more likable, that will have a more significant impact on your potential purchasers than anything else you can do.
Research has also shown that a television commercial that tells a story is three times more effective, and a written advert that tells a story is twice as effective. Your story can reach out and pull in your potential customers in ways that raw data can’t match.
If you tell your customers a story, they’re not just considering your product’s fundamental virtues but becoming emotionally and mentally engaged with an experience. Even if (and it’s a big if) they take in the facts and figures you give them, they’ll soon forget them, but if they have become emotionally engaged with a story, they won’t forget it.
It’s not only an emotional linkage that makes the story linger long in the memory; if you’ve got a good story in your marketing, it makes you stand out. The internet is unimaginably vast, containing virtually all the world’s facts and figures; a good story stands out against the background noise and grabs the attention. You can go online with almost any subject and find hundreds, if not millions, of articles offering the same facts, figures, and tips.
People are much more likely to choose your marketing if they see an interesting story attached to it; that gives you a unique selling point to make your marketing special.
The most effective online marketing method is not to sell a product directly but to give your audience entertainment and information. A good story will embed your content in your audience’s mind so they will automatically remember you the next time they need the product or service you’re offering.
Stories are just about the most effective way of creating this link. They forge emotional connections between your market and your product and brand. The psychological influence of stories can increase your marketing’s effectiveness and the tremendous growth of your company in the long run.
Five of the Best Ways to Influence an Audience With Your Story
Company/Brand Story
In this type of story, you tell your audience about your company or brand history. Stories are a vital way of connecting your brand with the audience, as they are the brand image’s foundation. The company story will generally tell the audience about your beginnings, ambitions, and how you got to where you are today. These stories are often most effective if conveyed personally by the company founder or early employees.
Personal Story
Giving the audience a personal story drawn from your life is often advantageous. This story could tell of how you managed to overcome difficulties or how you reached your current position. You could relate a simple incident you’ve seen linked to your brand or product and your target audience. Personal stories are often most effective if they include challenges you have overcome.
Product Story
These stories let your audience know a little more about your product. You can talk about product development, why you invented it, how you overcame challenges related to production, or how your customers have found the product helpful.
Customer Stories
Customer stories tell your audience how your customers use your products or services. These are some of the most compelling stories because they show how potential customers can benefit from your offer. Prospects relate to these stories, putting themselves in the customer’s place and understanding what the product could do for them. These stories are always the most effective if they resemble real life.
Employee Stories
Employee stories engage the audience by giving your company a human face, showing how everyone works for the customer’s benefit, and sharing your corporate culture.
Want to learn more about how sharing your personal or brand story can boost your business?
Find out how we can help you create stories that speak to the hearts of our audience.
