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Do you want to rise above the noise in today’s competitive market?
Let go of the norm and start doing something that will make your business unforgettable. When it comes to storytelling for brands, the basics that used to work 5 or 10 years ago aren’t enough anymore. You have to go the extra mile to stand out. That’s what the big industry giants do.
Is your favorite product always out of stock, despite having several similar products available? It could also be that people love the story behind the product, not necessarily the product itself.
Your brand may have the best product in the market, but with a poor story, a less-quality product will perform better than yours.
Top brands constantly engage their customers with their brand story, which, unknown to the customers, evokes an emotion toward their products or services. This emotion causes a connection that keeps them in the minds of their target audience for years. As confirmed by reports, branded stories boost trust and connection with customers by 4%. Leverage it.
So, like the big shots in business, how can you transition your product into a story that resonates with your target customers? To answer this question, we’ll explore the strategies you can apply to storytelling for brands that will drive brand loyalty and transform your product into a narrative that captures the heart.
Stay with me!
Why Storytelling for Brands is the Right Strategy
55 percent of surveyed customers said they would happily buy from a brand if they loved the story behind it.
Before we proceed, I urge you to get rid of the idea that storytelling is just a market strategy. It is more than that. As humans, we love to feel, and storytelling helps us do just that–feel! That is why many people love reading or listening to good stories.
(Source: Headstream)
Through storytelling for brands, you can create an emotional feeling between your brand and your customers. This story adds meaning to your product or service. It gives your product personality, context, and relevance.
People want to associate with these three elements, so they’ll not go for products alone, but products that they can relate to on a personal level.
Related:
How to Use Storytelling in Marketing to Close Sales
Top 10 Brands That Have Mastered Storytelling in Marketing
How to Turn Your Product Into a Good Story: 3 Things You Need To Do
Using storytelling to drive brand loyalty isn’t quite as complex as it might sound. Here are the three simple things you can do to turn your product into a good story:
1. Talk about your product’s purpose.
Every brand has a reason for creating a product. It could be to solve a problem, meet a need, or make everyday living enjoyable.
Whatever the purpose is, one of the things you should aim for in your brand story is sharing the reason your brand came to be in the first place. Tell your customers the problem your product can solve; they may know it, but it will sound better coming from you. That’s transparency, and 86% of Americans are drawn to transparent companies, according to reports by Sprout Social.
(Source: Ignite)
So, go ahead and tell them how your products solve their problems. They may have seen it solve the problem, but telling them affirms what they have witnessed.
Now the question is, what do you say precisely that makes the difference? Let’s say you are selling fitness footwear; instead of just talking about its features, you can tell your audience that wearing the shoe is about a step toward a better, healthier life.
Customers will feel empowered hearing this. They are in control of their health. In their head, this is not just footwear but a channel toward good health. They may not buy the footwear just because it’s beautiful, but because of the good health it offers. Who doesn’t want to live a healthy life?
2. Build a narrative around your customer’s journey
Every customer has a narrative about what they face. Tap into that. Start by introducing the everyday challenges people in need of your products or services face. Then, use your product or service as the compass that directs them daily. Afterward, use testimonials to show them how your product can improve their lives.
Let’s say you are in the sustainable clothing business. You can start by discussing the environmental harm caused by unsustainable clothing. Your clothes become the solution for customers with ethical concerns about non-eco-friendly clothes.
Then go ahead and share stories of previous customers who have enjoyed using your sustainable garments. When sharing the brand story this way, you will build anticipation that keeps your audience engaged.
3. Visualization is key
Now, to the icing on the cake–visual storytelling. Every great story is not just about words but visuals too. Your stories will get a whopping 94% more views if you add high-quality images.
People may easily forget what they read, but a good picture attracts and sticks for a very long time. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate visual storytelling in your marketing strategy.
3 Ways Your Brand Can Benefit from Storytelling
Just in case you think storytelling isn’t right for your business, these three points will prove otherwise.
1. It differentiates your brand
As you might have already noticed by now, the competition in business is fierce; every company wants to stand out, so it’s a “survival of the fittest” situation.
Do you want to make sure your business doesn’t get overshadowed by that of your competitors? If your answer is in the affirmative, then it’s time to tell your unique story.
Brands that don’t want to be replaced or forgotten must tell stories that resonate with the right audience.
Let your ideal customers see how your brand’s values align with theirs. When your product value appeals to customers’ emotions, it creates a unique mark that competitors in your industry cannot easily match.
2. Gain Customers’ loyalty
As an entrepreneur, your ultimate goal should be to gain customer loyalty. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a loyal customer base.
When you effectively tell your story, customers connect to your product on a personal level. It is a big deal because this connection creates an emotional bond that makes them buy your products repeatedly.
The best part is that such buyers often offer free advertising services by marketing your products to friends and family members. Most of the time, they help your brand convert customers without your knowledge.
3. Engage with your content
Whether you share your story via your blog or social media platforms, a good product storytelling increases engagement. Engagement is good for business. The more of it you have, the more people will get to know about your business.
Tell Your Story. Sell Your Product!
Crafting your brand story can make your product stand out from your many competitors. When you want to tell this story, focus on the purpose of your product, build this purpose around your customer’s needs, and help them see how your product has helped others.
When done right, these strategies of storytelling for brands will help your ideal customers differentiate your product from others, give you an army of loyal customers, and create engagement around your story.
Are you ready to tell a story that drives sales, loyalty, and customer retention? I’m “your write choice.” Contact me now for expert guidance.
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