Is there anything worse than having someone trying to 'sell' to you? You know what I mean. The doorstep salesmen and charity representatives going through their full sales patter. You can see the desperation in their faces as they try to get you to book or set up a monthly subscription. And with the dawn of the internet and social media, we are constantly being sold to 24/7 - there’s no escape.

But as business owners, we understand the need to make sales and book clients so that we can pay our bills. We have no choice. We have to sell.

The question is how. How do you sell without experiencing that icky feeling? How do you sell so that you don't annoy your followers and they stop following you? And how do we stand out from all the other countless business owners who are all trying to get a piece of the same pie?

The answer? S T O R Y T E L L I N G.

Why Does Storytelling Work in Marketing?

Storytelling is magic. When you weave beautiful narratives into your brand messaging you create emotional connections with your audience. It's not just about selling your product or your service, you are selling a lifestyle or experience that your audience wants. It resonates with them. You are selling their dream, placing it within their reach, through you. Using stories makes you and your service memorable and relatable. You have the power to leave a lasting impression, leaving your audience wanting to learn more whilst also building trust and loyalty. The question is, how are you going to use that power?

Want to learn more about why storytelling is effective for brands? - click here to see why it works.

How to Start with Business Storytelling?

Before you put pen to paper or open your laptop to start typing, you need to think about who your stories are for - your audience. If you don't know them and don't understand them, you won't be able to create stories that they will care about.

Who is your audience? (Hint the correct answer is not "everyone"!). Think about what you offer - if you had to pick one group of people it would be perfect for, who would it be? Parents of primary school-aged children, retired gentleman golfers, wedding caterers - the list goes on. Once you know exactly who your audience is, you can take a deep dive to learn about their needs, desires and problems. Doing your research has never been so important. Once you know your audience you can craft compelling stories that will resonate with them.

How to Use Storytelling in Your Marketing?

So you know your audience? Now we'll explore how to use storytelling in your marketing strategy. First find a story, one that your audience can relate to, one that aligns with your values as a business and that will resonate. Make it authentic - there's so much fake stuff out there now and authentic content builds trust. Incorporate storytelling elements. There should be a character, a conflict and a resolution to make your story captivating. You should tell your story in a way that evokes emotions and aspirations that your audience can relate to. 

Need inspiration on story structures - take a look at this recent blog post.

What Does Storytelling Look Like in Marketing:

Storytelling can appear in various guises in your marketing - a case study where you show a client transformation, a personal story that you have shared about why you started your business, the story behind a product, or stories you share about your memories including successes or struggles. They can come in different formats too - a text post on linked in, a podcast interview, a visual meme, a reel of you dancing, a video q&a, a commercial with someone undergoing a journey. There are many different options for you to explore and you can even reshare the same stories in different formats.

How to Use Storytelling to Attract Clients

So this is the one you've been waiting for. You may have skipped straight to this point (tut! tut!). Start by making a list of possible stories, have a story notebook or use an app on your phone so that you have a list of stories you can choose from. Pick a story and think about how you can use it. What action do you want your audience to take after reading it? Do you want them to laugh, cry and engage with the post and leave a comment or two? Do you want them to look at the story and have it be the final push they needed to convince them to buy your item? Are you story-sharing just to be discovered by your target audience, or to help them trust you? Once you know what you want to get out of a story, you will be able to decide how to use it and where to share it. And then it's just up to you to share that story with the world.

Happy Storytelling!