How many stories do you remember hearing in your life? Surely, some of them built especially important memories. And how about using the power of a good story to boost business? This is precisely the goal of storytelling.
More than just transmitting thoughts, this technique can help companies connect with their potential clients. Find out how below!
After all, what is storytelling and what is its power?
The psychologist Jerome Bruner, who taught at Harvard and Oxford universities, studied the power behind a good story. According to him, the chances of us remembering something told through this mechanism can be 22 times higher than when we simply receive a message. Incredible, isn’t it?
With so much information available out there, storytelling is the key for you to stand out among users. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes: how many times do your eyes stop when you see someone telling an interesting story that grips you and/or catches your attention?
That is why applying storytelling is so important. It is what allows for an emotional and personal connection with the public, inspiring action with the brand.
Tips and strategies for applying storytelling
There are several ways you can structure and conduct a good story. One of the best-known strategies is called the Hero’s Journey (or monomyth), presented by Joseph Campbell in 1949. He realized there was a narrative pattern, starting with the fact that any events revolve around the protagonist.
Among the other factors that stand out, the phase of problems, preparation for major changes, and overcoming challenges are also prominent. In the end, the hero of the tale returns to his life and inspires others with his brave performance.
However, other strategies still need to be taken into account. Find out which ones:
1. Have a unique and honest message
Create stories targeted to your target audience and seek to involve them. You know that feeling when you think “it feels like it’s talking directly to me”? That’s the path!
You can also use success stories from your own clients. After all, no one is better than the people who already enjoy your solution to talk about the potential offered.
2. It needs to have a beginning, middle, and end
This tip might seem obvious. However, it is necessary to carefully craft all phases.
How many times do we start listening to a story and get lost before even reaching the halfway point? Capture attention right from the start and have a powerful conclusion to stay in your reader’s memory.
3. Count on visual elements
Words have power. However, images also play a relevant part in transmitting stories.
About 90% of the information captured by our brains is visual, and we process images 60,000 times faster than we can process text.
Use all possible visual resources in your storytelling campaign, such as photographs, GIFs, and videos. A good example of how much people like to hear about experiences are vlogs. Some of these account for millions of followers!
Remembering that any medium can be used to tell a story: blog, social channels, and multimedia. Each medium provokes a different reaction in your audience, so you will also need to understand your target audience and the environment where this message will be displayed.
Therefore, more than just winning people over, storytelling is a modern and efficient tool to boost your business. Therefore, invest in characters with whom your persona will identify.
Avoid creating unreal situations. Users tend to show sympathy for subjects that also occur in their own lives. Put together a good strategy and anchor your brand in the most important place: your customer’s memory!
Did you like this article? You might be interested in learning market communication methods and how to apply them in your company’s management. Until next time!
