content marketing - how to think like a storyteller and less like a marketer
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Content Marketing – Thinking like a storyteller
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People prefer to deal with companies that they know, like & trust – it’s not rocket science!!
Providing quality, relevant, engaging content on a regular basis allows you to build relationships as you interact, inform, and influence your customers and potential customers.
This interaction builds trust without bombarding your audience with sales messages, and drives visitors directly to your website when they click on an article that’s caught their attention.
Why is content marketing so powerful?
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Traditional topics for content
1) What do we want to say about us
2) Products we sell
3) Services we offer
4) How long we’ve been doing it
5) What are our USPs
What’s wrong with this approach?
6) Already been done – websites, brochures etc.7) Not sustainable – once the services are covered, what next?8) One way street - it doesn’t engage or interact.9) No guarantees that your audience trusts you or likes you – they just know you.
You lose everything that’s so powerful about content marketing by simply doing traditional marketing through new ‘cooler’ channels!
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The challenge for marketers
How to think less like…
And more like…
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Why Storytelling?
Stories are captivating for a reason. Storytelling is the oldest form of passing knowledge and much of how we look at what we like to call facts is influenced by stories and how we interpret them.
Stories make messages easier to communicate…
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What do we mean by brand ‘Storytelling’?
Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to breathe life into your brand and a major component of content marketing.
By giving your products and services an identity, and sharing the stories behind them, you can take your target audience on a journey they actually enjoy experiencing.
In order for consumers to form a personal connection with your brand, company stories must be authentic, creative and inspirational
Emotional branding is a marketing strategy that has the potential to drive revenue and increase customer retention by influencing how a person feels about your brand, and by extension, your services/products.
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How can ‘Storytelling’ be applied to content marketing?
1) Understanding where each individual piece of content fits into your overarching brand story
2) Literally applying the principles of storytelling to the structure and content of an individual piece
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Understanding where each individual piece of content fits into your overarching brand story
Think about the big picture - How do you want your audience to feel about your brand, it’s not all about what you sell.
Within that story there are chapters / scenes, each with it’s own story (beginning and end) but part of the bigger picture.
Define clear objectives before you start: Your desired outcome drives the direction of the piece, gives it focus, and dictates the elements that make up the brand story.
Stories must be personal: Think about how your brand was born, what inspired you to create the company and what your mission is.
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Applying the principles of storytelling to an individual piece of content
Structure: Every good fairy tale has three acts
1) Set the scene and introduce the characters
2) Something bad happens and a quest follows
3) The happy ending
A captivating brand story should have four acts:
1) Set the scene, what’s the backdrop, who’s this article for, how will they benefit from reading it
2) What’s the challenge, issue, pain point, headache
3) Offer a resolution
4) A call to action, which is often indirect -The ultimate goal of marketing is to inspire to Think, Feel, or Act
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How to generate ideas for compelling content
1) Think about your audience first
2) Think about your audience first
3) Think about your audience first
In order to be a good storyteller, you must listen to your audience so you can genuinely understand their desires and concerns, their beliefs and attitudes. You must continue to listen as your story unfolds so you can gauge the reactions of your audience which will shape how your content strategy evolves.
The customer should be the main character, with your company serving as the supporting character that offers tools to help them create successful resolutions.
Example: If you sponsor a campaign to buy new playground equipment for a community centre, the story should focus on –
• Why the equipment is needed• Who benefits from it • Concentrate on one or two recipients, illustrating what the donation means to their lives• Praise should come in the form of a quote from another person not from you
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When crafting your brand story, you must be specific in what you are asking readers to do and illustrate why it is important to their lives
Outline actual steps to be taken and show readers how they can recognize the reward
The sell must be creative, yet subtle and often it’s indirect
Storytelling is not inventing a story. The reason why your business exists, why you have developed products and services and why you do what you are all stories
It’s even possible to turn an internal sales kit about solutions in a narrative book, telling stories people can relate with
Testimonials can be your most powerful weapon in building customer loyalty if they are told in the right way:A testimonial that is just a few sentences is forgettable, but a story that delves into a customer’s personal life and challenges, chronicles the lengths an employee goes to solve the problem and illustrates the positive outcome achieved will stick with readers long after they move on from your marketing materials
Some random (but useful) principles
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Example 1: WH Smiths (How much content can you write about pencil cases?
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Strategy: Two Facebook pages: US and UK.7 articles covering 7 topics
Topic sample:The Ultimate Hen Party Cocktail ListHen Party Gift IdeasCelebrating Your Divorce In Style The History of the Hen PartyTop 5 Accessories For Your Hen
Keywords: Hen, hen party, bride, bridesmaid, wedding, divorce, divorce party, separation US: Bachelorette, bachelorette party, wedding, divorce, divorce party, split
Results: 55,000 reached across UK + US2,000 unique clicks to UK + US sitesOverall budget £200
Target audience: FemaleAged 30 - 50
Example 1: Butlers in the Buff (How many ways can you say “yes, they’re in the buff!”
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1) Every good brand 'story' has 4 acts – • Set the scene• Demonstrate your understanding of the challenge or issue• Offer a solution • A call to action - what should the reader do next?
2) Stories must be personal. Feature ‘real’ people wherever possible – customers or your team
3) Think about the needs of the ‘audience’ not what you want to tell them.
4) Be a solutions provider, not a product seller.
5) Try to share some neutral advice / best practice before introducing your own product or service.
6) Develop a briefing template – and use it every time!
7) Define clear objectives before you start.
8) Consider how you want your audience to Think, Feel, and Act, at the end of the story.
9) Find the right medium / format for each story – one size does not fit all. 10) Audit existing content and identify what can be repurposed.
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