Storytelling has grown thanks to social media, but it has also spread to other channels and forms of communication . Storytelling can be simply defined as the art of telling a good story . However, this is not a marketing technique like any other. Its main objective is to create a connection with customers .
Storytelling can be used in emails , landing pages , spots , banners , retargeting , SMS or social media . Here’s how businesses can take advantage of this technique!
Mistakes to avoid in storytelling
Since storytelling serves above all to perpetuate your relationship with your customers, it is important not to fall into these traps.
Contradictions in messages
Storytelling is effective when the message and the person delivering it are on the same wavelength . Any contradiction between the message and the speaker causes this technique to lose its power. If a beautiful model is used to tell a happy story, but her eyes express sadness, the message becomes contradictory and has no value.
The lie
In addition to contradiction, lying is another of the most common mistakes made in storytelling. There is a Spanish proverb that says, “The truth comes out,” and it’s true. If the brand has a certain number of elements, principles or preconceived ideas, it is not good to go against them. By trying this, users will see the lie. If the brand or product projects an idea, it will need to be reinforced and not try to sell something that is not real.
Using a bad tone
It’s easy to use humor and satire in storytelling to sell. It’s a way like any other that helps break down barriers and develop a greater connection between the customer and the brand. The hardest part is finding the right balance of tone to convey the right message . It can be very difficult to use humor well, even more so than drama. You will need to be very careful that the joke told sets the right tone and example for your brand.
Forcing public reaction
This technique can sometimes help strengthen the connection between the customer and the brand, but it can also be a double-edged sword. It is not possible to force customer reactions , and this also applies to forcing a sense of urgency. Everything must be implicit in the message. By forcing things, the message will lose its potential.
The content of the storytelling strategy
For the storytelling strategy to achieve the company's marketing objectives, it is absolutely necessary to include these 5 essential elements.
Brand values
The company must be able to convey the principles on which your brand is built . Sharing the brand's values is necessary to be in tune with your customers, because it is important to be able to express who you are and what you offer.
The emotions
Emotions are the key to storytelling. They make it possible to establish a connection with the customer and to arouse something in them in order to push them to consume. You have to be able to use language that plays with emotions so that the speech ends up captivating the customer, attracting their attention and encouraging them to buy the product.
Positive emotions , such as joy or happiness, are not the only ones that can be used to sell. Negative emotions , like pity or sadness, are also negative. It depends on the brand for which she opts for emotions when she wants to convey her message to her customer. You just have to keep in mind that the chosen emotion will be linked to the brand in the minds of customers.
Product highlights
In the same way that we reinforce the brand image through the positive aspects or values of the brand, we must do the same for the product or service offered. We must not forget to emphasize the positive aspects of adhering to the brand's philosophy.
The hook
In addition to emotions, the story must be articulated in a way that engages the customer . It must captivate and hold the attention of the audience. Hooking readers with stories is the main goal of storytelling. If we manage to do this and retain the attention of buyers, then that's it.
The channel par excellence for storytelling: television
While a number of brands use storytelling in their emails and landing pages, it was television that really paved the way for this technique. Brands such as Ikea, Cola-Cao and Campofrío have used storytelling in their advertising spots. And the results were more than satisfactory.
All these brands use a common denominator: the creation of a story and an advertisement to illustrate it . The potential comes from combining everyday stories into short form ads . Additionally, the production quality and originality sets them apart from other brands fighting for the same advertising space.
To conclude, storytelling is not just about listing the technical specificities of a brand or product. It is a technique which appeals above all to the emotionality of consumers . To do this, it is necessary to adapt well to the profile of each client. Indeed, the requirements of each of them are not the same. Above all, you will have to make sure not to shock the person for whom the message is intended. If it is ever hit, the rest of the message will not be taken into account. Consequence: it will be one less consumer for the company.
