How To Promote Your Brand With Storytelling

Your brand is more than just your name and logo. Tell great stories and you’ll have a much bigger impact. See how you can get started.

Profit generation is the driving force for businesses. But so is staying authentic to who you are. The marketing sphere is saturated with native, direct, and paid ads, so consumers are looking for brands that are simply honest in their marketing. But for our products and services to sell we need to somehow draw attention to them.

Today, storytelling is one of the most effective methods a business can use to sell goods and offer services. So, whether you want it or not, it turns out storytelling is here to stay.

In this article, we will explore storytelling and how to use it to your brand’s advantage. Additionally, you will learn how to market and attract attention to your brand as it is necessary for the livelihood of every business.

What is Storytelling?

Storytelling is what people have been doing for centuries to attract other people’s attention and captivate them. In the business world, companies should understand that each brand has its own unique story. It’s not just a social media management technique used to communicate ideas. It’s about adding value to your message.

Telling stories is the only method to keep your audience’s attention because it’s more engaging and interactive. Here’s an example of lousy advertising: “Sign up now and get this software for free.” There isn’t any data, no proof, no feelings, no sense of urgency. There is only a groundless claim. Advertising without evidence and emotions does not make your audience believe in your story.

A high-quality advertisement tells a story. For example: “Our software will automate your day-to-day management processes and increase your revenue by 28%.” Good advertising indicates precisely the benefits that will interest the target audience. In addition, great advertising communicates facts about benefits in a way that sparks emotion.

It’s common to use a perfect buyer persona who serves as a portrait of your target audience. Through the story of this main character, you can address the benefits your company will provide. Moreover, it would help if you also tried to consider the emotions of your audience. Ask yourself, what do you want this story to make them feel? To make people feel things, primarily through creative advertising, you should address the value it will add to their lives. Suppose you have a training business or a podcast – the question idea is the same.

How can you use storytelling to boost your business?

Continue reading this article to find out.

What Makes an Awesome Storyteller?

An excellent storyteller can tell about anything and still keep you captivated. Participation in this essential element of human nature provides powerful strength. When we listen to a good story, we become more attentive. If the storyteller tells the story well, we get into a co-creation process. That is, we hear the details and draw a picture of what is happening in our heads.

Brands create products, not storytelling. Of course, you have more control over the content when you tell your brand story yourself, but you reach a smaller audience. Why? Because you’re talking about yourself. Rather than trying to understand your audience, you want them to understand you. Despite each brand having its own unique story, businesses struggle to present captivating self-stories. They do, however, do an excellent job with their products. With companies, everything is unclear, as with the product, and there is no trophy linked to it. Personally telling the story establishes trust with your limited audience. This has a variety of downsides and opportunities. The audience grows as the confidence grows over time, but growth can exist only with consistency.

Companies should find a competent storyteller or a group of people to build a story. That’s why they hire evangelists. If you are hiring an Instagram storyteller, make sure to check out their Instagram follower demographics to see if they fit your target audience. Besides that, it would be great if they start using relevant Instagram hashtags to make your audience be more connected. It’s essential to remember that when you find such a person, they’ll want to share stories about your brand in their unique style. After all, that’s why you chose them.

People who tell stories can have a massive audience – and that is already an enormous potential of promotion for your brand. Because they tell the stories that people want to hear, storytellers can have a considerable following. Above all, if their stories are attractive and relevant to the audience, they’ll be able to use them for your brand. The audience needs to get the feeling that the storyteller is aware of their needs. This fosters trust between the storyteller and their listeners, which is the core of any successful relationship.

Back in the day, influencer marketing was called the brand ambassador program. Even though the terms have changed, the principle is the same.

Find the right influencer
Analyze their audience
Make sure they fit your story
Build a relationship

People are bound to listen to your story if you are authentic and provide value. After all, storytelling is in the origins of humankind. People preserved and passed on their knowledge and experience through storytelling. That is, stories have always been a part of our life.

What Makes an Awesome story?

We can all tell stories, and we do so almost daily. But not every story is capable of causing interest, especially among a large audience. There are several components to a good story. Knowing and using them will help you master storytelling. These elements of a good story have been put into practice for over two decades.

So, the four key components of a good story are:

Identifiable character (1 to 3).
Genuine emotion.
Concentration on the “moment.”
More details.

1. Identifiable character

It’s easy to say – “our brand is our storytelling” or “this is the storytelling of our company.” And then talk about the process of building a company or how you could create a logo on the screen. But people don’t want to have to work with business. They want to deal with real people. And a brand is not a story.

The mistake a lot of companies and brands make is going too big. But what they need to do is narrow the story down to a specific character, a person. This could be a client or an employee telling about the employee onboarding process and how fun it was. If you can’t find this character within your company or clientele, try to find Facebook influencers who identify with your brand. They are amazing storytellers as influencers use storytelling every day as a part of their content creation.

For the audience, the story’s meaning is a character with whom they can identify themselves. This should be a person the audience can imagine and say: “Yes, I feel the same,” “I know them,” “She is very similar to me.” Think about it if you are telling the story of one of your clients. Who are they, what do they like, what kind of person are they? Capture the characteristics of this person. After all, your audience wants to think, “Yes, I was already there, I felt it, I understand it.” So we want to provide them with a real hero with whom they will build communication.

Different people can tell different stories. Each of them gradually becomes a character, someone with whom we could identify ourselves. And this is no longer just “our team members.” We can imagine them, and we are interested in learning more about their thoughts and experiences.

How to Choose a Character for a Story

The choice of characters for the story depends on the purpose of your message. For example, you are trying to illustrate specific features of a product or maybe you want to provide more data-driven sales. So the character could be the person who developed that product. You can link the plot to how the developer looked for a solution to the problem and successfully found it. Or, the character can be the one who used this product, and it helped change his life. Consider the message you want to convey to your audience. What do you want your audience to think, feel, know and do after your story?

Also, think about what information is available to you. For example, maybe you know the developers and creators of the product. Talk to them and let them tell you their stories. They often and for a long time communicate with your clients. It would help if you heard their stories to get to know these characters.

Once you find the hero of your story, start creating the story with them as soon as you determine that this is the exemplary character. Would you please pay attention to what they have to say and keep meeting notes? You can prepare interview questions to help with the storytelling process. The good news is that you don’t have to look for talent and authenticity. When people tell their own stories, they are hopefully just being honest. Therefore, such stories come out more naturally and exciting. Some people find it difficult to speak on camera. But by telling their own stories, they open up, and it always works with a bang.

Genuine emotion

Emotions are fundamental in storytelling, even if you are trying to talk about tech products. Marketers often go overboard with emotion. They take things to the extreme with dramatic scenes like someone’s worst day in their life or a super achievement. But even small emotions are essential in storytelling. It can be hope, guilt, disappointment, or embarrassment. If we are speaking about human relationships and connections, then humble emotions are better. This way, we do not feel that we are being deceived. Instead, it seems that the story we hear is real and related to our life.

How to find an Emotion for a Story

When you create your stories, think about how your customers feel every day. Think about the importance of small, common human emotions and what kind of story you can build around them. Your own stories are one thing. Another is if you are responsible for telling other people’s stories.

You need to understand the character of the hero. What keeps them awake at night? What are they worried about? What is important to them? Once you can understand the character and sense their problem, you will find the emotion you need.

Concentrating on the “Moment.”

When you tell the story, you must give the listeners the feeling that they are with the story’s hero at a specific time and place. Storytelling should not be vague or uncertain. A good story is more than just a description of the setting. The goal is for your audience to see themselves in the story. This can be done by highlighting a specific moment in the plot. Your story should create a co-creation process.

Specific details are the final component that creates the co-creation process. So, be clear about the details of the story. Then your listeners are more likely to feel the story and immerse themselves in it. When people hear a detailed description of a moment in a story, they imagine themselves in it. And then they remain inside the story. They feel every moment of it, the change in emotions and the state of the hero. This is indeed a powerful storytelling strategy – concentrating on the moment.

More than one moment in the story

Creating a “moment” in a story is like zooming out of a map. First, the story moves forward, and then you suddenly enlarge a specific part of it. Once you’ve made a moment, slow down and amplify the story’s details to increase the richness of the story. Next, you can create another point in the story, another moment. When creating two moments in storytelling, don’t forget about the details.

Why Storytelling is so Valuable

Everyone loves to listen to stories, as well as to read and watch them. With the help of stories, we can convey information and emotions – make a person laugh or be sad. That is why stories, like the process of telling them (storytelling), are so valuable and essential in our life. And they are no less important in business.

1. Telling the brand story

Stories are significant to marketers. Both in the case of offline and online businesses, we compete for acquiring new customers. And when we can tell a story that interests them, we get their attention. Many good stories can not only attract but retain the attention of buyers or subscribers. This is the main purpose of marketing: by telling a genuine story, we further establish credibility. Through stories, we introduce the brand to the audience, generate interest and build trust.

Storytelling offers an incredible opportunity for marketers to connect with people. With the help of stories, we can make the business more human, improve the connection between the brand and the audience. In addition, you can use storytelling to encourage potential and current customers to feel connected to you as a brand and optimize your user acquisition process.

2. Saying nothing at all

Another technique for using storytelling is to say nothing at all. Few people understand this alternative: simply not telling anyone the story of your brand. Instead, please make an effort to say to people a story about themselves. Write about the topics that your audience is interested in.

Magazine editors and authors are experts in women’s cosmetics, finance, and technology (among many others). They deliver stories to individuals interested in these subject matters. For the editor, the topic is their expertise for the audience – interest.

Brands, as you are undoubtedly aware, do the same thing. For example, Google is selling information, and its “Think With Google” program discusses the future of marketing. By talking about topics that interest its target audience, a company may reach a broader audience. As a result, the company establishes itself as an expert on issues that concern the audience. You may have noticed that the media and Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok, and other platforms that adapt to a person’s interests function this way.

Moreover, while on a specific website, visitors may also get engaged through real-time messaging, so you can leverage this option as well. What should you keep in mind if you decide to choose this route for your corporation? Tell the stories that your audience wants to hear. This is the direction to success.

3. Marketing with storytelling

Good social media storytelling can influence your audience, drive engagement, and even increase your SEO rankings. The more people feel connected to your brand and your story, the more they visit websites and trust you with their data. You can check Google Rankings of your website to see how storytelling affects the progress of your website.

If for, example, your company provides furnished apartments in Paris, you can tell a story about how the idea came to you, what resources you needed to launch your business, and how you could succeed. Leverage your success story efficiently, and you can use it for marketing purposes as well.

Now that you’re familiar with the benefits of storytelling let’s understand how you can implement it.

How to use storytelling to your brand’s advantage

1. Define the purpose of your story

Before you write the text, decide why you are going to tell the story at all. Reasons can be divided into two broad categories – training or selling. You can teach the audience how to sell online or sell them your ideas, services, and products.

2. Create a believable dialogue

Dialogue is an essential element of the story. Through the communication of the characters, we find out who they are, what they feel, how they relate to each other, and what their values are. The inevitable way to spoil even the most exciting story is to write dry dialogue. Therefore, the communication of the characters should be as credible as possible. Use phrases characteristic of their nature, age, and position.

You can share this dialogue via events and conferences. For example, you should consider webinars as a means of communicating with your audience. Make sure you successfully conduct the virtual event registration and gather around like-minded people.

3. Market around familiar heroes

If you’re looking at your target audience only as a set of demographic characteristics, you’ll have obstacles in your marketing strategy. To tell powerful stories to your audience, you have to dig deeper – find out what they love, what goals they have in life, what sparks their interest, what they fear, what they dream about before going to bed.

To make it enjoyable for the audience to follow what is happening with the story’s hero, they must find similar features in them. If, for some reason, your character is different from the target audience, find common ground that’s united around your company – connect them.

4. Ditch direct advertising

As interesting as the story is, if it ends with a direct call to buy, the customers may be left with the bitter impression of being tricked into viewing the ad. Many companies use storytelling this way: first, a fascinating story that does not bode well, and then a sudden call to buy the product. Perhaps this trick will work once, but the more often the user feels cheated, the less they trust your brand content. This is not at all what we want to achieve with storytelling.

Suppose you are running a podcast and want people to subscribe to you. Instead of telling them to subscribe, tell them a story about podcast trends and see their genuine reaction. Try to approach it differently – make the storytelling format free of appeals, use it as a tool for engaging and building an emotional connection with potential clients.

5. Don’t forget about emotions

A good story is impossible to convey without some emotion. The point of storytelling in your marketing is not about “squeezing out a tear” from the customers.

Use a healthy amount of emotional appeal. Scatter moments throughout the story that will touch the audience. Any emotion creates a particular bond to the text, the events described in it, and the narrator. But this does not mean that all feelings will be appropriate. Ideally, you should clearly understand the kind of emotions you want to evoke in people. Think about it and write down what comes into your head. Then, based on the list of emotions, emphasize using the information you have.

6. Don’t make storytelling an ode to your company

Listing your merit is not storytelling. And even more so, not a story that can attract the attention of the audience. It is more difficult for people to associate themselves with your success, the more responsiveness is caused by failure.

Therefore, try not to brag too much. Instead, you can specifically mention a few mistakes and failures, talk about how the story’s heroes got out of this situation, what they felt, what they thought. But, of course, no one is interested in reading about ideal people or companies with whom nothing terrible happens; all their actions are thought out and worked out as if we have machines of success in front of us.

7. Structure the story

Treat your story as a project. Draw out a project roadmap. Do not forget that any story should have a plot, development, and ending. But the good news is, you don’t have to follow it in that order. You can start the story from the end but at the same time keep the intrigue in the development. Inconsistent storytelling is a common practice in literature and cinema. You can use it in marketing your business and lead generation strategies too. Wherever you start, keep a clear narrative structure. All actions taking place in each structural part must lead to inevitable consequences in the next. The purpose and structure are your map of what is happening, which will help you not to get lost in your own story.

You can also experiment with the petal structure of storytelling. It includes multiple stories around a single concept or problem. Petal stories can overlap in many ways, but they must be separate storylines. A great example of storytelling in petal format is a makeover show when the editorial crew follows several story participants who are simultaneously moving towards a goal.

The Hero’s Journey structure is at the heart of many stories, adventure films, and books. The format is suitable for the cases when you need to tell the audience about the benefits of a product, but first, show them how to get to this product. That is, to go on a journey and receive certain wisdom as a result.

The False start story begins with an understandable and even predictable plot but then abruptly breaks off and begins anew. There is a shock effect, an unexpected turn. The format is often used for stories of failure. The hero rethought the situation, goes back to the beginning and chooses the other way.

When the approximate plot is ready, you have determined the goal and the conclusion of your story; now, you have to build up the valuable information for your audience. This method of storytelling is sometimes referred to as building an information pyramid.

Storytelling in email marketing

In a nutshell, all rules of storytelling apply, even for email marketing. Let’s take a look at how businesses should use storytelling in their emails. If you decide to create a story for your email marketing campaign, do not forget to design your letter appealingly and make it user-friendly.

Remember: Storytelling is a way to convey a message, an idea, through a story. For a story to hook the audience, it must be truthful, human, emotional, the context, and the protagonist – understandable and close to your clients. To retain attention, you need to create a conflict and follow the structure of “start-development-climax-denouement.”

Ensure your email has all the necessary information, check SPF records, and ensure high email deliverability. If you want to know which information is essential to include, use an email signature generator to create a working signature for your needs quickly.

Basic Method

A good story is true, emotional, and has an exciting conflict and resolution. The heroes inspire confidence; they call you to action. We have already explored the basic techniques to teach you how to apply storytelling to your email marketing content. For example, you can create and share SaaS marketing email templates that revolve around your brand and the story you want to tell. But let’s dive deeper.

Reading through content selectively is excellent for users but bad for marketers. First, the audience, which is already sick of direct advertising, stopped responding to the calls to “Buy-Buy!” Then intelligent people decided to turn to storytelling, that is, to tell catchy stories in emails. Finally, the audience either recognizes themselves or at least sympathizes with the story’s main character.

Show instead of telling

Storytelling can be done in all standard digital formats. This could be text, video; audio; image; any combination of these. Next, let’s talk about how to compose a story to make it more effective especially if you’re working on your SaaS email marketing campaign.

When choosing a storytelling format, remember: it’s always better to show than tell.

Brands like Dove targeting women are producing videos that look like public service announcements. Short, touching videos convey the sensation that you will feel thanks to their products. This is storytelling that works primarily on emotions. Chanel shot the most expensive ad video in storytelling for its famous # 5. The video cost $33 million. The whole film fit in two minutes.

It is clear that you hardly have a million-dollar budget allocated for storytelling, but let’s appreciate the mood and skill.

Storytelling design

For storytelling to work wonders for your brand awareness, it should be combined with high-quality visuals. If your story is inconvenient to read, watch or listen to – consider that all your previous work and preparation went down the drain. Even if you are not a professional designer, you can still take care of the look and feel of your storytelling.

Stay consistent

Use the same design for the related blocks so that their purpose is instantly apparent. For example, headings of the same level, data boxes, direct speech have to be formatted the same way throughout your whole piece of content. Please don’t overdo it with accents and highlights. The main style and color should be 80%; otherwise, the material will be challenging to read and comprehend.

Content needs to breath

Utilize white space and leave some air to breathe between text and visuals. It’s much easier to read when content is separated from each other. Based on your topic, group-specific pieces of content according to the point you are trying to make.

Add interactive visuals

Remember the rule of intimacy with your audience. If they aren’t paying close attention to your content, you lose them. The audience is more involved if they are not just reading but also interacting with the material. Include elements in your story that you can poke your audience with.

For example, interactive diagrams where you can drag sliders to modify the content; tests and surveys; photo and video galleries; 3D models that can be rotated.

Design in the same style

Choose primary colors, fonts, and shapes that suit your story. Again, it’s good to involve designer resources here. First, check out trending colors and typefaces fir for your niche topic. Then create a layout with headings and paragraphs, divide content blocks according to the subject and apply your design palette. If you want to use all these tools at the same time, then you can use a creative management platform to make your ad campaigns look more engaging.

Consider the publishing platform

When you are putting together a story, please be aware of the platform you will publish. If it’s going to be placed on a website, make sure to take advantage of an interactive heatmap tool that will help you understand the usefulness of your content. Clicks don’t matter if people do not stay and read your content. So, when you have the chance, try to design your story for an appropriate platform and track data to evaluate results.

Pro tip: The backbone of all your storytelling efforts should be a website. Most customers are searching online to find information that will help them make smarter buying decisions. If you want your brand to drive more conversions and visitors to your website, you must have a user-friendly, visually appealing website. It’s straightforward to get started with a professional website for your business. There are a number of drag and drop website creation platforms out there, many of which offer free plans.

Having a professional-looking website where you can share your brand story is simply a must if you want to succeed with more organic results. This can not only build a solid ground for new customers but also play a huge role in lead generation and brand awareness.

Budgeting your storytelling strategy

Branding requires a certain amount of financial resources, and so does storytelling. You can use an Excel spreadsheet or a specific system to create and manage your storytelling budget. With planning, you will be able to conduct the following tasks:

Find out where your money is going
Discover any gaps and financial inefficiencies
Change the currency

Additionally, with the autonomy and safety, cryptocurrencies can provide, consider using them for payments. If you already know how to buy Litecoin, you may also be informed that it allows the verification and process of various business transactions in a more secure way. Moreover, it offers a lightweight blockchain, near-zero cost payments that can be done by individuals as well.

Conclusion

Storytelling in marketing is intended to captivate your audience. What you have to do is be an authentic brand. This is where the power of any story is. It helps to use tips and techniques to ensure that your story remains in your audience’s memory. If you want to build a captivating story, pick up your favorite book.

Pay attention to the construction of the story. Why did it stick with you? You will notice how competently the author includes a detailed description of some seemingly unimportant features. That’s what matters because now it’s your favorite book. The details should be straightforward. And when done right, it can help you obtain and retain a loyal audience. So, use this article in your marketing strategy to achieve the desired result.

FAQ

What Is Storytelling in Promotion?

Storytelling in promotion involves using compelling narratives to convey messages, engage audiences, and create emotional connections with products, brands, or causes.

Why Is Storytelling Effective for Promotion?

Storytelling is effective because it captures attention, makes information memorable, evokes emotions, and allows brands to connect with their audience on a personal level.

How Can I Use Storytelling to Promote a Product or Service?

To promote a product or service through storytelling, craft a narrative that highlights the product’s benefits, solves a problem, or showcases real-life experiences of customers.

What Elements Make a Good Promotional Story?

A good promotional story includes relatable characters, a clear conflict or challenge, a resolution, emotional appeal, and a memorable message or call to action.

Where Can I Incorporate Storytelling in Marketing Campaigns?

Storytelling can be incorporated in various marketing channels, including social media posts, website content, video ads, email marketing, and brand storytelling on About Us pages.

How Can I Identify the Target Audience for My Promotional Story?

Identify the target audience by analyzing demographic data, psychographics, and market research to understand who will relate to and benefit from your product or message.

What Are Some Examples of Successful Storytelling in Promotion?

Examples of successful promotional storytelling include Apple’s iconic “Think Different” campaign, Nike’s “Just Do It” ads, and Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign.

Is Storytelling Only for Emotional Appeal, or Does It Drive Sales?

Storytelling serves both emotional and sales-driven purposes. Emotional engagement often leads to increased brand loyalty and, ultimately, higher sales.

How Do I Measure the Impact of Storytelling in Promotion?

You can measure storytelling impact through metrics like increased engagement, website traffic, conversion rates, social media shares, and customer feedback.

Can Small Businesses Benefit from Storytelling in Promotion?

Absolutely, small businesses can benefit from storytelling by creating authentic and relatable narratives that resonate with their target audience, helping build brand awareness and loyalty.