Storytelling for branding is not a new method. It’s simply buzzing as a unique content marketing way following the growth of social media. In fact, it is asserted as the top business skill of the next 5 years (source: contently.com). Some awesome reasons why it works for brands include;
Here are 10 reasons why you should embrace storytelling for branding:
1. Deliver immersive experience
With a story, you bring your audience to a deeper level of understanding. You make them think of your brand from a unique and relatable perspective.
2. Make your brand unique
Stories make your content special because it is all about experience. With stories your brand values can be effectively proliferated. You can make your, otherwise, commoditized offering unique and relatable to your targeted audience.
3. Illustrate your points clearly
Story helps you to present your brand offerings or messages better. Through story, there’s a proper flow and associative elements for people to tie it to. Enable them to derive their own conclusion (hopefully, one that you wish them to arrive at). Hence, making your content more convincing.
3. Make your message Stick
People easily latch on stories that hook at their emotions and senses. It makes them think of their own personal similar experiences thus bringing it home your message. This makes you all the more memorable as they are more relatable compared to cold hard facts.
5. Connect with your audience
When you tell a story you take your customers for a ride. You connect with them on a different level than just merely stating your brand values. You are showing them the needs that they might not even realize. And it indicates that you understand their dilemma and you have just the right solution to help them.
6. Give your brand information meaning
With data and facts you shape them into meaning that can easily be understood. You are able to convey the implications of the information, which otherwise would just be dry and abstract numbers to them.
7. Inspire your audience towards a common goal
A good story instills emotions in your audience. It takes them on an emotional journey through the ups and downs. Pandering to the emotion is very persuasive. It influences them to look at situations like you do. Thus, giving you the upper hand to steer them towards your goal.
8. Make your contents more likely to be shared
Mere facts and points typically are read and brushed aside. It gives your readers not much of a reason to share. Or, simply it gives them nothing interesting to share. With inspiring stories, your readers are compelled to want others to feel the same way as they did when consuming the message behind a story. You’re doing them a favour by giving fodder for conversations.
9. It is conversational and provides engagement opportunities
Stories stimulate people to react or tell their own stories. They could react by leaving comments. Hence, giving you the opportunity to build a feedback loop on your brand. Or they may react by telling others their own experience that opens the door to engagement opportunities.
10. Increase acceptance and lower resistance
When people stumble upon mere numbers or facts, they are less likely to be drawn to find out more. There’s nothing more to find about it, in fact. With stories, you bring them through the climax and compel them to continue reading until the finale.
In conclusion, storytelling is the best way to win over advocates, build trust in your reputation, and strengthen your brand authority. Hook them in and make them want to root for you.
At TheInfoPlotter, We are passionate about telling your story through your eyes with beautifully crafted static/animated/interactive infographics, presentations and micro-contents to help you connect with your audience.