Stories connect us, engage us, and move us to action. Fascinating and enduring, stories are fundamental to how we communicate. As individuals, we use stories to teach important ideas and uncover similarities and convictions to form relationships. Stories connect us in business as well. In business, we use stories to build our brand and forge a connection with our customers. People remember stories more than facts alone, which is why compelling storytelling in business can boost conversion rates and greatly benefit your company.

Three Principles of Marketing Stories

The biggest reason storytelling is a necessity for marketers is that stories are inherently shareable. Human beings are natural storytellers. Stories are how we relate to the world, so it’s no surprise that humans have been telling stories for thousands of years. If you’re ready to market your business with storytelling, there are just a few fundamental principles that every business should follow.

1. Your Customer is the Hero

All good stories start with the main character. The main character, your hero, is the one who faces a problem. The biggest mistake businesses make when it comes to storytelling is making themselves the main character. To create a compelling content marketing story, the hero of the story needs to be your customer.  

Readers remember unique characters, so when you are developing your character, your hero, it’s essential to make them appealing to the reader. Research your customer, so you can create a character who represents your targeted audience. Your hero needs to be exciting and well defined so that your reader can identify with them. Your story revolves around this character, so it’s essential that your reader understands what the hero wants and what they are struggling with.  

2. Your Hero Faces a Problem

In any good story, the hero goes through a transformation. The hero has a problem, faces an obstacle, and the story is about how they overcome that challenge and resolve the conflict. You need to identify what keeps your hero, your customer, from attaining their goal. What elements, internal or external, are standing in their way?

Businesses are used to providing solutions to external problems, but the most interesting stories are often internal struggles. That requires knowing where your customer is today and where they want to be when their transformation is complete. For example, a customer might be facing an external problem of having long grass and needing to hire a lawn care company to cut their lawn. But their internal pain could range from feeling overwhelmed by other tasks, wanting to spend more time with their family or even involve feeling a sense of embarrassment in front of their neighbors. While your product or service will solve their external problem, what they are purchasing is a solution to an internal problem, and that’s what your story should focus on.

3. Your Hero Needs a Mentor – Your Business

So, where does your business fit into the story? You’re the mentor who guides, coaches and helps the hero reach their goal. Your business is someone that the hero can trust to guide them through the challenges they are facing. By providing information and tools, you help the hero while still recognizing that its success is their own.  

Business storytelling is simply the art of conveying your marketing message in the form of a story. At It’s Simply Digital, we know that creating a captivating story drives trust and builds brand loyalty. We are here to help you build your brand and tell your story. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.  

Key Takeaways

• Compelling marketing stories can boost conversion rates and greatly benefit your company.
• Stories connect us, engage us, and move us to action.
• Business storytelling is simply the art of conveying your marketing message in the form of a story.  
• It’s Simply Digital is here to help you build your brand and tell your story.