There are two ways to tell stories in marketing: the expensive way and the not-expensive way.
Big brands, like Coca-Cola, Nike, Apple, and Amazon, have dedicated, full-time marketing teams that craft the story of the brand’s mission, philosophy, personality, values, and history. These teams create touching, emotional appeals that make you believe that Coca-Cola really matters.
That’s the expensive way to tell stories in marketing—have a team delve deep into who you are, what you are, and why you are, and make content based on those ideas. However, as mentioned, that takes time. And money. And effort. And brain cells.
If you’re a small business owner, maybe you don’t want to use up precious resources to commit to marketing.
Plus, chances are that you started the business, so you don’t have to delve into your brand’s long, winding history or the nitty-gritty details of your values.
Instead, you can utilize storytelling in marketing—a powerful tool we discussed in Part I—without the massive team behind you and only five minutes to spare.
Want to learn how?
Please come in and sit down. Welcome to Storytelling 101.
First, there are three pieces to a good marketing story:
- Plot: The events in the story—from people’s actions, thoughts, and mistakes to wild natural events and everything in between.
- Narrative: How you choose to tell the story—the words, medium, and order in which the story is presented to the listener.
- Marketing (duh): Involves capturing your brand’s best attributes. This also includes strategically placing your story, whether online, in print, or elsewhere.
Now, close your eyes briefly (but don’t actually. You have to read this blog post. Pretend to close your eyes).
Think about your ideal customer. Why do they need your business? Why do they like your business? What problem do they have that you address? What makes them choose you above the competition?
Here are some potential answers to those questions to get those brain cells warmed up:
- Mission. Your goals and values align with theirs.
- Products. Your services or products help them.
- Brand. Your brand personality draws them in.
- People. Your customer service is top-notch.
- Events. Your brand was there for crucial moments. (Think: Huggies, Kay Jewelers, etc.) Alternatively, if you’re a nonprofit, this can be about overall impact or fundraising events.
- Customers. Your brand creates a community that they enjoy.
Now, think about you as the owner. What is the best part of your business? What gives you the most satisfaction? Why did you start your business?
You can have multiple answers to these questions; they don’t have to be on the list above. The bottom line is considering how you bring value to your customers and the world.
Now, hold that thought.
Remember high school English class? Your teacher always said, “Show, don’t tell,” and you looked at her like she was crazy.
I’m here to tell you she wasn’t crazy; she just wasn’t speaking your language. She meant that in storytelling, people have to come to conclusions on their own. If you have to tell them something directly, it’s less impactful than when their brain cells do some heavy lifting and make the right connections.
It’s like the difference between telling someone you’re ripped and letting them find a picture on your social media. They’re less likely to believe you if you have to tell them. Also, it makes for an awkward conversation.
Why am I on a weird tangent about English class and muscles? “Show, don’t tell,” paired with your business’s best attributes, will create a smashing marketing story.
Here’s how you’ll do it—and yes, I will illustrate through a story.
Imagine I’m a small business owner of a taco company. I make exceptionally delicious tacos; I have a five-star catering service with several food trucks; and I have a line of hot sauces, t-shirts, stuffed animals, and cookbooks that customers love. We’ve even created an online community for fans of my tacos, where people can plan meet-ups, host dinner parties, and share their love for my tacos with others.
Therefore, my brand’s best parts are my products, customers, and people/customer service.
To utilize storytelling in my marketing, I want to emphasize these attributes.
So, maybe I’ll tell the story of Josie and Charles, loyal customers who met at one of our events and ultimately had us cater their wedding. Our taco truck stayed outside their venue all night, serving fresh tacos to tired dancers. We made it into their wedding album!
Maybe I’ll focus on the cookbooks, showing how our recipes become family traditions. Thanksgiving turkey with our taco hot sauce? You bet! I could even describe the stuffed animals, showcasing the next generation of taco lovers.
I could discuss how we came up with our award-winning corn tortilla recipe or how an accidental spill in the kitchen led to a groundbreaking discovery of how to make ground meat flavorful, juicy, and crisp beyond your wildest dreams.
Notice that I’m not telling people that we make great tacos; I’m showing them that people meet new friends (and fall in love) over a shared fondness for our tacos.
I’m not telling people we have excellent service; I’m showing them we stayed out all night at a wedding, serving tacos from a truck.
I’m not telling people we care about families or building a legacy; I’m showing them how we’ve become part of our customer’s traditions and memories.
Now that you’re thinking about it, you probably have many of these stories up your sleeve. All you have to do is put them out there in almost any format. Videos, blog posts, email blasts, social media campaigns, print ads, podcasts—all will likely garner more clicks than your average “Happy Taco Tuesday!” post. Plus, you can spin them in any way you like. They can be funny or meaningful, heartwarming or exciting.
That, my friends, is how you tell stories in marketing, the easy way.
And listen—if you’re still feeling a little stuck, reach out to us here at Jennasis. We can help you identify your best attributes, craft the right stories, and put them out there for the world to see. Get started by emailing us at digitalmarketing@jennasis.com!
