Marketing Storytelling…It’s not “Once Upon a Time…” to Gain Customers and Build Sales

Marketing storytelling is a critical component of what we now call in your selling communications -- content marketing. Marketers clearly believe that storytelling is a necessary foundation for their marketing efforts.   Here are some ideas why many companies are doing it poorly and not experiencing the results they want:

The stories don’t evoke an emotion: There’s not a memorable story around that isn’t seeded in emotions. For some businesses, especially those in the B2B sector, it’s hard to imagine what emotions their products or services might trigger.  That’s because the marketers are staying at the features level of sales, not delving into the benefits that lie beneath.

The stories don’t use data to lend credibility:  What makes stories so dramatic and grabbing are the facts that are dotted throughout. Think visual data like an infographic or let the data suggest a new angle or insight for both you and your audience.

The story doesn’The national SCORE Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. www.scorela.com.t take us on a journey: In marketing’s version of storytelling, we often take shortcuts to get to the big reveal.  However, in doing that, we rob the audience of the arc of the story. Every story is, in essence, a journey that chronicles the problem, the fight to solve the problem and how things are better once the challenge is responded to. When the story is rich with details – we also learn more about the intangible results and ultimate value of delivering the right solution.

The story doesn’t include a next step/call to action: Here’s where most marketers really miss the boat.  A well crafted story draws the audience in, helps them connect with the main character and feel their common pain.  As the story evolves, the prospect is pulling for the character — because in reality, the character bears a striking resemblance to them.  They experience the ups and downs within the story and as the story delivers the happy ending — the prospective customer is thinking and feeling relief and a desire to share in that sort of outcome.

So marketing’s version of storytelling is all too often, a big tease.  You led them right to the edge — get them hungry for what you’re selling but don’t give them a clear and defined next step. The call to action is critical, be sure you make it easy and quick for your reader or listener to take that next action.

How can you tweak the way you’re telling your company’s story so that it drives leads and sales?

The national SCORE Association, founded in 1964, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. www.scorela.com.