Looking to Increase Your Credibility? Use Stories in Your Marketing to Help You Sell
By Wendy Maynard on February 4th, 2008
According to The Advertising Research Foundation and American Assn. of Advertising Agencies, If you want to market your brand better, you should tell a story. This doesn’t really sound like rocket science to me, but the study shows that telling a story is more engaging, memorable and compelling than telling a bunch of facts.
From a recent Brandweek article:
“We were trying to identify patterns that could be used, said Bill Cook, ARF svp-research and standards. We saw powerful pieces of evidence for the impact of advertising.”
One such pattern was that a campaign like Bud’s iconic “Wassup” registered more powerfully with consumers than Miller Lite low-carb ads that essentially just said, “We’re better than the other guys.” Why? Because Bud told a story about friends connected by a special greeting.
Other ads that struck a chord positioned the brand itself playing the archetypal role of hero. In Campbell’s “Orphan” ad, it is about bringing together a mother and her foster child.
Ad research firm Gallup-Robinson, Pennington, N.J., found that the spot, which showed a little girl’s sadness and anxiety melt away into a soft smile once she was given a bowl of soup, generated 80% purchase intent.
This works because humans are hardwired to react to storytelling. We have a long history of it. So, how can you tell a story in your marketing? Try case studies on your website and describe examples of satisfied customers when you are talking to a prospect. Depending on your business, you can also incorporate “before and after” images into some of your marketing and advertising. If you give public presentations, be sure to weave stories into those as well.
Kinesis loves to weave success stories into the marketing materials that we create for clients. There is nothing more powerful than “social proof.” This includes both case studies and testimonials. We weave them into advertisements, websites, multimedia presentations, and direct mail campaigns. The result? A great ROI for our clients using this strategy.
Have you been thinking about a new website design or brand? We specialize in creating tools to help you sell through weaving stories into all of your marketing materials. Give us a call at 541-482-3600 for a free initial consultation. And of course, you can always visit our Kinesis website for more designs.
Hugs and success,
Wendy Maynard
Your friendly marketing maven
Wendy Maynard
A crackerjack thinker, Wendy has over two decades of experience as a marketing strategist and business writer. She continuously investigates what’s new in marketing and how it can benefit your brand. Wendy applies her big-picture concepts to ensure that your company is positioned as a thought leader and has a “deep moat” to attract and retain your best customers.
Read more of Wendy's blog posts.
Hi Wendy, Great comment about consumers being hard wired for story telling memories. Many consumers also have fond memories about fairy tales such as Cinderella, Tom Thumb, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty, The Hare and the Tortoise, and The Brave Little Tailor, for example, still have great potential for marketing patterns. The pattern of “The Jolly Green Giant,” a twist on “Jack and the Beanstalk” has been a phenomenal success for decades. Thanks for the memories.