Here is my latest article from Chief Marketer magazine on the power of storytelling. Some excellent examples here from Unilever’s Degree (Degree Rookie campaign) and Blendtec’s Will it Blend?
Aside from the examples, here’s the real core of the article:
Storytelling, sometimes referred to as content marketing or custom media, consists of delivering the brand product message as relevant and compelling information. Instead of marketers following a playbook, storytelling requires much the same mixture of rational and emotional messaging that you’d find in a New York Times feature, or even on primetime television drama.
Smart marketers are realizing that they don’t have a choice anymore when it comes to reaching consumers. In today’s business environment, the 4 Ps of marketing can be copied verbatim by an outside competitor. The only
separation is communication – how a marketer tells its story.
Although I prefer the term content marketing, many leading content experts such as Story Worldwide and Storybrand Consulting have picked up on the “storytelling” concept.
Whatever it’s called, the “story” is the same – deliver relevant, valuable and compelling information to your customer, and reap the rewards of engagement, loyalty and, ultimately, purchase.
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4 Comments
I’m sure there are a lot of marketers who might say, “But I don’t have a compelling story to tell! My company just makes [fill in the blank: industrial bearings, corn syrup, etc.] What do I talk about?
What would you tell this type of person, Joe? Are there situations where storytelling isn’t possible/practical, or do you think storytelling is a strategy that can be adapted for any market?
Michael…excellent question.
As you know (coming from the b2b market), some markets and products are anything but sexy. But the important point is that all businesses have customers, and to those customers, you obviously have something very important or they wouldn’t be your customers.
Those customers in your market all need ongoing information in order to work better or be more satisfied with their work or personal lives. Why can’t you, as the business person, provide that content. I believe all businesses can, and successful ones do.
Every business has to find their own story that will truly help their customers. It’s sometimes not easy, but it’s possible for any company in every industry…and actually much easier to do in very defined business markets.
So, long story short, if someone asks you that question, I would answer with, “If you feel you have a compelling product or service, than you can have a compelling story to tell. It’s just a matter of how important your customer is to you.”
Thanks Mike…keep them coming.
Great article. In addition to the 4 P’s I would say that you touched on one thing and that’s permission. IMHO, the real transformation that’s occurring is with respect to permission. Word of Mouth (WOM) is really driving marketing right now because it’s permission-based and not shoved in our faces. As well, it comes from trusted sources.
Doug…great point, and you are right, permission is the key. The delivery of information without permission could and is considered, whether relevant or not, spam!
Sales today is more and more the art of not selling. Interesting how things have changed so.