In a world where we are constantly bombarded with advertising, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. So, how can you make sure that your message is heard? One way is to tell a story. Stories are a powerful tool that can help you connect with your customers on a deeper level and make a lasting impression.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why stories are so important in marketing, how to craft a compelling story and some examples of companies that are doing it right. By the end, you’ll have everything you need to start incorporating stories into your marketing strategy.
Let’s get started!
Why Are Stories Important in Marketing?
Stories are a crucial part of the human experience. We’ve been telling stories since the dawn of time as a way to communicate our values, traditions, and history. Some experts believe that our ability to tell stories is what makes us unique as a species.
Telling stories is an incredibly powerful way to connect with others. When we hear a story, we can’t help but put ourselves in the shoes of the protagonist and empathize with their situation. This connection is what allows stories to influence our emotions and persuade us to take action.
That’s why stories are such an important tool in marketing. A well-told story can engage your customers on an emotional level and persuade them even if they’re not consciously aware of it. In other words, stories have the power to change minds—and that’s precisely what you want your marketing to do.
How to Craft a Compelling Story
Now that we know why stories are so important in marketing, let’s talk about how to craft a compelling story that will resonate with your audience. There are many different ways to structure a story, but one of the most popular methods is known as the Three-Act Structure.
Three-Act Structure
The Three-Act Structure was first popularized by Aristotle in his work Poetics and has been used by writers for centuries since then. It’s an effective framework for storytelling because it mirrors the arc of human interest—something we all instinctively respond to:
- Act One: The Setup
- Act Two: The Conflict
- Act Three: The Resolution
Think about some of your favorite movies or TV shows—chances are they all follow this basic structure. Let’s take a closer look at each act and see how it applies to marketing:
Act One: The Setup
This is where you introduce your characters and establish the stakes (what they’re fighting for). In marketing terms, this could be considered your elevator pitch, where you introduce your product or service and explain what problem it solves for your customer. For example, let’s say you’re selling online courses on how to start a business. In Act One, you would explain what your course offers and why someone should care about it.
Act Two: The Conflict
This is where things get interesting—the conflict is what drives the plot forward and keeps us engaged as readers or viewers. In marketing terms, this is where you dig into the details of what makes your product or service unique and how it can benefit your customer. For example, let’s say you’re selling online courses on how to start a business. In Act Two, you would explain exactly what topics are covered in the course and how they will help people achieve their goals.
Act Three: The Resolution
This is where everything comes together—the protagonist overcomes the conflict and achieves their goal (or sometimes doesn’t). In marketing terms, this is where you provide social proof that your product or service works and explain how people can get started using it right away. For example, let’s say you’re selling online courses on how to start a business. In Act Three, you would include testimonials from people who have taken the course and seen success as well as information on how people can sign up for it themselves right now.”
AIDA in Marketing Storytelling
AIDA is an acronym that stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It’s a popular model for structuring marketing stories, because it’s designed to evoke those emotions in the reader or listener.
The AIDA model has been around for over a century, and it’s still used by many marketers today. Here’s how it works:
1. Attention
The first step is to get the reader or listener’s attention. This can be done with a strong headline, an interesting opening, or a shocking statistic.
2. Interest
Once you have their attention, you need to keep them interested by providing more information about your product or service. This is where you start to paint a picture of how it can improve their life.
3. Desire
The next step is to create desire for your product or service. This is where you really sell the benefits and show them why they need it.
4. Action
Finally, you need to tell them what they need to do next in order to get your product or service. This could be clicking on a link, signing up for a free trial, or making a purchase.
By the AIDA model, you can create marketing stories that are designed to evoke powerful emotions and get people to take action.
PAS in Marketing Storytelling
PAS is an acronym that stands for Problem, Agitation, and Solution. It’s a popular model for structuring marketing stories because it’s designed to evoke those emotions in the reader or listener.
The PAS model has been around for over a century, and it’s still used by many marketers today. Here’s how it works:
1. Problem
The first step is to identify the problem that your product or service solves. This could be something like a pain point that your customer is experiencing.
2. Agitation
Once you’ve identified the problem, you need to agitate it and make it worse. This is done by showing the customer how the problem is impacting their life.
3. Solution
Finally, you offer the solution to the problem. This is where you introduce your product or service and show the customer how it will solve their problem.
When used correctly, the PAS model can be an effective way to storytelling in marketing. It can help you capture attention, build empathy, and ultimately drive conversions.
Product Presentation vs Storytelling in Marketing
Product presentation is the process of creating an effective and persuasive sales message about a particular product. It should highlight the features and benefits of the product in order to convince potential customers to purchase it. Storytelling, on the other hand, is a way of marketing that focuses on sharing interesting stories about the brand or product in order to engage customers and create an emotional connection with them.
There are several key differences between product presentation and storytelling in marketing. Product presentation is focused on selling a specific product, while storytelling is more concerned with creating an emotional connection with customers. Product presentation typically uses logical arguments and facts to persuade customers, while storytelling relies more on emotion and imagination. Additionally, product presentations are usually delivered in a formal setting such as a sales meeting, while stories can be shared informally, such as through social media or word-of-mouth.
Overall, product presentation and storytelling are both important strategies that can be used to market products effectively. While they have different focuses, they can both be used to engage customers and persuade them to purchase a product. When deciding which approach to use, marketers should consider the goals of their campaign and the type of product they are selling.
Examples of Companies That Are Telling Engaging Stories
Airbnb
“We started Airbnb because we wanted to travel and live in new places, but we couldn’t afford the high costs of hotels. So we came up with the idea to offer our extra space to travelers looking for an affordable place to stay. Now, Airbnb is a community of millions of hosts and guests who are connected through a love of travel.”
GoPro
“GoPro is dedicated to helping people capture and share their lives in exciting ways. We’re passionate about our purpose — we believe sharing and reliving our experiences makes life more meaningful and fun.
Our customers around the world bring our brand and to life. They help us see the world in new ways and motivate us to do more, including celebrating and supporting diversity within our workplace so that eventually no group goes underrepresented.
We are GoPro — we love what we do!”
Fireman rescues a kitten from a burning house
Nike
“We believe in the power of sport to move the world. It’s an idea that has inspired us since our earliest days as a company and one that continues to drive us today.
It is why we do what we do. It is why we are always looking for new ways to bring people together through sport and help them have a positive impact on society.”
Watch Nike – Just Do It (1988) – Very first commercial
As you can see, incorporating stories into your marketing strategy is a great way to connect with your customers on a deeper level and persuade them to take action. By any of above-mentioned storytelling methods, you can craft compelling stories that will resonate with your audience and leave a lasting impression long after they’ve finished reading or watching.