MAR 19 I I 101are heard, and this creates magic.
Digital platform is not only popular
but it is the easiest, fastest and
cheapest way of reaching the target
audiences and spreading stories,
content and information.
the StorYteLLinG
Over the years, Storytelling
has become a successful tool
for marketing, and it helps the
brand to sell dreams. Our mind
responds better to stories than
factual information; hence it is
a crucial tool. Presently, brands
are shelling out big bucks for
content marketing and floating
stories that will influence the
customers buying decisions and
share their perspective. There
is an enormous flow of content
on digital platforms, and on an
average, a person encounters
100,000 digital words every day,
yet more than 90% of people like
this content in the form of stories.
Brands like Coca-Cola, Google,
IBM, Tesla, Huggies etc. have been
successfully capitalising the art of
storytelling to inform, educate and
entertain their audiences. It may
be a blog, an experience, a video
or an ad, the scope of storytelling
is enormous, and in the decade,
it will emerge as the vital tool for
marketing to create a connection
with their ideal customers. It may not
always be about selling and in fact,
storytelling marketing is mostly a
tool for creating a brand name and
brand image. It is all about being
connected to the customers and not
just selling your products or services.StorYteLLinG aS a
marketinG tooLTaking example of Dove, that has
been using storytelling in a genius
way. There was a very clever thought
that was put behind, in order to
an emotional quotient to a soap
which otherwise holds no emotional
value. Dove has always involved
the concept of real people and
showcasing their stories. With these
stories, Dove redefined the meaning
of beauty, whether it is beauty of
relationships or beautiful skin or
just the feeling of being beautiful.
Recently, Dove also involved men
into their campaign called Men
Care where they simply put across
the story of a father in armed forces
and how he wishes to see his kids
and family. It had nothing to do with
the soap but just shared a vision
of “Dove Cares”. And it did work
wonderfully for the brand.But the question is, does the use
of storytelling valid only for big
brands or small budding businesses
or start-ups can also leverage itsbenefits? The answer is super clear,
it is for both, and it may not create
overnight magic for your business,
but if you skilfully use this tool, you
could reach your audiences in a
better and impactful way. A little
knowledge of what to say, when,
how and where to use and who to
approach with this tool, along with
some skills can help boost your
business in many ways. One right
story that you put across at the right
time and on the right platform,
might just be the kick start that your
business needs. If this interests you,
we are sharing some guidelines for
which you might want to thank
us later!Though the use of storytelling in
marketing isn’t new and needs no
introduction, there’s a lot more to it
that differentiates storytelling from a
proper storytelling technique. Here’s
how to go about it and expect some
milestones in your business:The Subject - The core and first
element of Storytelling is what you
choose to share. It could be your
journey, your experience, your
struggles, customer experience or
a vision. Fiction may be better than
truth, but when you add a personal
touch to your story, you build that
emotional connection and trust
with the customer. You may sell a
product, but with a story, they would
get to know you and your business
better. These things help create a
positive perception of your brand
and this is indeed priceless!The Narration – Remember how
we were told stories? Not like a
drafted piece of document for sure.
Whenever you are making use of
storytelling in business, make sure
to narrate it the way you usually
talk and try not to be scripted. The
primary goal of telling a story is to
create a personal connection, and
if you fail to narrate it correctly, the
whole purpose will fail. Even when
you are writing a blog, or creating
a video, keep your language as
real as possible. Not very informal
but not strictly formal either. You
may consider moulding your writing
guidelines a bit in this case.Relatable and Relevant – Make
sure whatever subject you are
willing to narrate, should have
either be relatable or relevant or
both. If people can relate to your
weaknesses, strengths, success,
failures or any experience for that
matter, it captivates their interest,Storytellingand they will feel what you want to
say. As for being relevant, if your
story holds some relevance or value
for your customers, they would want
to hear from you. That’s your only
chance to convince them.Keep it real – Use real incidents,
real people, real experiences and
real images along with maximum
possible details so that your story is
believable. People can always tell
the difference between an internet
picture and a real one. Let there be
flaws, let there be some imperfection
coz perfection is often plastic, and
people won’t be interested in that.
After all, you are telling about
yourself and your brand, not
a movie.Keep it interesting – While
keeping it real and relevant don’t
forget to keep it interesting. Like,
have some positives, negatives,
a little suspense that would want
people to hear you till the end,
some struggles and end the story on
a positive note or with a learning.
Remember, there could be many
ways of narrating the same story, but
certain tweaks can either make it a
hit from a miss.Well, at the end of the day,
stories should be persuasive and
memorable or else they might just
be forgotten easily. This era can
rightly be termed as the era of
storytelling where you can reach
your audiences in a flash of a
second and on the other hand,
people understand the concept and
appreciate the efforts. Just a little
work from your end and you are all
set to slay the digital world.tHere
is an enormous
flow of content
on digital
platforms, and
on an average,
a person
encounters 100,000
digital words
every day, yet more
tHan 90% of people
like tHis content
in tHe form of
stories.