Why do you think the adverts that brands such as Coca-Cola and John Lewis produce are so wildly popular? It’s because they do more than just sell, they tell a story!

People are naturally attracted to stories from a young age but even as we get older stories still manage to grab our attention and stick in our heads for far longer than a fact or stat does.

Four reasons why you should use storytelling in your marketing plan:

1. Storytelling Makes You Unique 

There is so much content out there now that it often feels impossible to stand out from the crowd. But it isn’t. While it might be difficult to come up with an entirely new idea, storytelling gives you the opportunity to regenerate an old idea into something unique.

1. Storytelling Adds A Human Element 

Every industry is overflowing with businesses that are doing the same, or at the very least, similar things to one another. But what makes you stand out against the others is YOU! By telling a story you add a human element to your business, which will not only make your brand relatable but also memorable and far more compelling.

1. Storytelling Is A Soft Form Of Marketing 

No one wants to be sold to constantly. Even if someone is following your brand on social media, it doesn’t mean that they constantly want you showing them your products. However, by implementing a storytelling strategy you can subtly integrate your products into a larger campaign that doesn’t seem quite so ‘salesy’. This soft form of marketing makes it far more likely that you’ll make a sale in the long run as your audience will be more interested and engaged with the content you are putting out in front of them.

1. Storytelling Makes Your Brand Stronger

You can use a story to back up facts and statistics. By fleshing out numbers in this way you will make your point stronger and your brand more trustworthy. People, after all, value opinion far more than a list of numbers.

The Fundamentals of Storytelling: 

• All stories need to have a structure. Even business stories. They need to have a beginning that captures the attention of the audience. A middle that contains all of the information you teased them with in the introduction. And, finally, they need an ending that not only sums up what you have just told them but that also has a call to action to allow them to follow the story up further.
• You need a clear message. Before you even begin telling your story you need to understand what you’re trying to convey. If you start off with a clear message and keep this in your mind the whole time, every aspect of your story will be relevant.
• Even though you’re telling a story, you still need to be honest. Your audience will be able to work out if you’re lying and if you’re caught out it will take you a long time to gain back the trust of your followers.
• Storytelling gives you the perfect opportunity to add a personal element to your brand. Put a face to the brand, make your brand relatable and make it obvious that you’re more than a corporate business.

If you would like some help with your branding and digital marketing strategy, we can help with every aspect.

Get in touch – Mike.richardson@bigmarketing.co.uk or call us on 01908 326 666