by Jerry Mpufane (@JerryMpufane) A First People proverb teaches: “Those who tell the stories rule the world.”
Since the beginning of time, humanity has had a profound need to make friends and to connect. Storytelling enables that. The explosive speed of progress is also fuelled by our ability to tell stories. That’s why consumers — who are confronted with multiple simultaneous messages in a noisy, saturated world — need stories to derive meaning. And why I believe that, without stories, brands will battle to succeed.
Stories are the oldest and most powerful form of influence. To read or hear or see a story is to feel an experience and to synchronise our minds with its subject. So, to help you with your synchronicity, here are eight tips for brand storytelling:
1. Always keep it conceptually simple
The most-straightforward narrative arc is: Problem > Solution > Success. Every book, film and series uses it. So should you.
2. Look outside the brand for inspiration
Even the most-carefully researched and -considered facts are routinely greeted with cynicism or outright dismissal. No one cares about a brand’s marketing goals. No one is moved by a corporate agenda. But everyone likes a good anecdote. So refrain from making it all about you/the brand.
3. Learn from the simplest storytellers
Such as the street performer. A busker might be someone wanting to raise attention for a cause or raise money to support a family. Either way, he or she is able to connect with people and, importantly, collect some cash. Whether poetry, mime or the written word, the best stories capture the imagination — forcing a pause and a reaction from those who’d otherwise walk by.
4. Forget god-like figures and epic tales
Susan Gunelius says in Forbes that stories should be inspired by “the presence of people who participate, create, connect, and develop the saga of growth and success. Personality drives the story. But the story isn’t a biography of an individual. It’s the evolution of an entity told with personality. People trust other people. The core reason why your story should be personality-driven is so that it will provide someone real for customers to trust.”
5. Look for consumers’ commonalities
Yes, everyone in a digital world may choose their own content. But, no matter who they are, each individual shares the drive to achieve certain goals. With insight, a brand may engender a positive but realistic energy in those who engage with it. Tell your story in such a way that it tells your customers: “We relate to you; we understand you; we are like you.”
6. Remember the potential of new media
New media means that brand storytelling has become a more all-encompassing experience: visual stories in photographs, spoken stories in videos and recordings, and written words on blogs and even status updates. If you want to be a part of the conversation, manage your relationships with your target consumers in a compassionate yet realistic way.
7. Tell the same story everywhere
Make the story part of who you are and what your company is about. Be consistent and be relentless. When your brand hits the mainstream, its story will become further entrenched in public awareness. Don’t suppress telling or even retelling of your brand’s story, if it’s accurate.
8. Encourage your consumers to tell the story
Testimonials are one of the most-effective ways you can broadcast your brand’s story, because consumers will experience the problem > solution > success momentum of the story themselves.
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Bottom line? Good stories surprise us. They have compelling characters. They make us think and they make us feel. They stick in our minds and help us to remember ideas and concepts in a way that the basic facts simply cannot. So: we act.
Jerry Mpufane has executive experience in both ad agency and client organisations, and has only one goal in life, which is to be an inspiring leader. He is currently chairperson of the M&C Saatchi Abel JHB Group of Companies; vice-chair of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA); a Loerie Awards board member; and a judge for Bookmarks, Loeries and PRISMs. His monthly column on MarkLives, “On My Mind”, focuses upon what it takes to run a great AND sustainable ad agency.
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