The art of storytelling is one that has conditioned the way marketers communicate with the retail world. From content writers to video creators, photographers and designers, the way marketing agencies translate their messaging has a lot to do with the ways in which the outside world spends their money.
We’ve all heard the expression, “you can sell ice to an Eskimo”, and storytelling plays a major role in this phenomenon. While the expression may be considered somewhat culturally inappropriate, using the term ‘eskimo’ as a title to address all inuti peoples, the meaning of the expression justifies the way in which marketers target their messaging across all borders.
Selling ice to a person whose livelihood is surrounded by ice and all matters attached to it is a tasks that seems to be impossible – much like selling electronic goods, beauty products, clothing, cars and even food to a densely infiltrated market seems to be increasingly possible with all the competition that surrounds you and your brand.
Storytelling can be the hook that grabs everyone’s attention and spirals it into a never ending flow of loyalty, interest, retention and eventually brand ambassadorship.
So, what is storytelling?
Storytelling is a journey that you take your viewers on. A story is a relay of information that is presented in an engaging, productive and enticing manner, creating an entertaining source of data that encourages all who fall upon its metaphor to step up and take action.
When we were kids, our imagination would run wild with all the stories we read through books, magazines and websites and all the video content we watched on YouTube, TV and blockbuster movies. Finding the route to peak the imagination is what made all these entertainment sources successful, and while the adult viewer might need a little more to sink their teeth into than a children’s TV show, the approach is entirely the same – making a connection.
The true art of storytelling is grasping someone’s attention and making an implanting connection with their psyche, and in the marketing sphere, this mostly relates to the psyche’s ability to recognise a story and link it back to a retail outlet that they believe can provide the fairytale they desire.
A good story is made up of ample building blocks, some of which include:
- Their contagious nature that leaves us hungry for more,
- Their easily understood messaging that strikes the right chords,
- Their emotive capacity that pulls on our heart strings,
- Their beliebailtiy and relatability that keeps us enticed,
- Their usefulness in our lives that we can’t live without,
- Their inspirational messaging that stick with us and
- Their inclusive nature that makes us feel welcome.
Thinking of storytelling as a recipe for human interaction success is what we, as consumers find most appealing. That the products we engage with reflect who we are and why we use it. Ultimately, it’s an exchange where marketers, brand owners and creative interact with the consumer world in a ‘join the club’ sort of attitude.
The science of storytelling in a nutshell
Let’s take eco-warriors as an example.
Developing a product that is eco-friendly, sustainable, organic, vegan and locally sourced triggers the oxytocin in the brain, causing it to increase when certain messaging speaks their language. This is the same feeling we humans experience when love, bonding and well-being are experienced.
When storytelling experts understand this term and develop their campaigns and strategies around the science of storytelling, the brands’ mission is simple: engage, entice and embrace.
The 3 Es that any good storyteller holds as their content creating mantra. When you engage with a market, you are finding a way to enter their ‘hearts’, allowing you access to their time, energy and interest. When you entice a reader, you are peaking interest, you are getting them along with you on the journey that your brand will adopt, this is what creates a following. And when you embrace your following, you are developing a relationship, where your brand dictates the things they buy, the way they do things and the way in which they react to your brand. This is where loyalty, ambassadorship and fanfare comes into play.
Let’s look at Apple fanatics as an example now.
Apple’s best asset is probably the addictive need a non-Android user feels when a new Apple product drops. The war between Apple and Android will exist forever and there’s no way to avoid or derail it – simply because Apple’s storytelling is way too powerful.
Apple might be much more expensive, a lot more complicated to sync to other devices and sometimes not as accommodating as Android – but it’s sleeker, it’s aesthetically pleasing and for most Apple users, there’s no going back – using a Windows device is somewhat tortuous. It might sound petty and ridiculous to the techies out there, but that’s the power of storytelling. Convincing and enrapturing.
So what makes storytelling so important to marketers?
This is simple, and we’ll present this to you in the form of a story, just because you’ve now understood how important storytelling is:
“Jack was looking for a new pair of shoes. He wanted something simple and versatile.
You see, Jack is a web developer and spends most of his time at his desk, making sure all his development paths are A-OK on UX and UI, but at the weekend he breaks away from the chains of the office and ventures on to find the most beautiful beaches, rocky areas and grassland that he can explore.
He wanted a shoe that could deliver the goods for both his 9-5 and his after-work activities.
He searched long and hard for the perfect shoe that could meet his every requirement. But what he found was either not too friendly on the eyes, or not too friendly on the pocket. So he kept looking.
One day, after he’d worn through countless amounts of sneakers, Jack stumbled upon a stylish, affordable and versatile shoe that transformed his life in an instant. He found a shoe that was comfortable, safe and effective enough to wear on his weekend treks while also being presentable enough for the office – noone would ever guess his shoes were covered in mud last weekend. They were perfect.
Jack’s loyalty to the godly creator of his beloved shoes lived on, he bought the T-shirt, a pair of shoes for his adventure partner and even pre-ordered the backpack. Jack is hooked, and he’s never been happier with his brand choice.”
Jack’s story engaged the reader by:
- Building a strong connection with the audience
- Adding a human element that was relatable
- Instilled trust in the brand
- Engaged with the audience by means of human reaction
- Shared the brand vision of work and play becoming one
- Stood out from competitors as a leading brand
- Popularised the brand with a simple, yet effective approach
- Used comfort and flexibility as a marketing weapon
And the video spoke a thousand words, with captivating imagery, scenes from across the globe and excellent footage and editing skills that constantly grip your attention. Tropic Feel’s approach to marketing speaks the company’s language and translates to their niche market with ease and simplicity. The golden tools of storytelling.
So if you’re looking to tell a story and grip your viewers with your brands’ key benefits, contact 4Sight for more information on how we can help your product become the life and soul of your industry’s market.
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