Your ultimate resource to growing your business. Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to increase sales. Nothing beats a fantastic narrative for keeping people on the edge of their seats. That is why people enjoy binge-watching television shows, watching movies, and reading books.
I’m sure we all have that one family member or acquaintance that delivers the finest tales at the dinner table. But what if there was a method to convert those tales into cash? There is. If you can convince clients to connect with your story, you’ll be able to increase sales. “I’m a poor storyteller. Therefore this won’t work for me,” some of you may be thinking. “My life is uninteresting,” some of you may remark. “I don’t have any interesting tales to share.” Yes, telling a tale is an art form. It is not in everyone’s nature to tell a compelling narrative. But, fortunately for you, I’m a seasoned storyteller. In reality, I use this tactic as a marketing plan regularly. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may recall this piece from a few years back in which I recounted my own experience:
There are approximately 70 comments on the blog article. People purchase food, but no one seems to believe you can profit from it. Plus, with such a large number of readers, there’s a good chance they’ll be interested. So, I’ll share some of my storytelling secrets with you, which you may use in your marketing efforts to get more money from your clients.
How to become better at telling stories?
1. Determine who your story’s intended audience is.
To begin, figure out who you’re telling the narrative to. Check to see whether it’s acceptable for the target audience. Let’s start with an analogy before moving on to your company. A tale you would tell your poker pals over a drink during a card night might not be one you’d say to your in-laws over Thanksgiving dinner. Do you get what I’m saying? For the most part, I’d advise making your tales appropriate for people of all ages. I am a believer in what I teach. You won’t find any obscenity or swear words when you read my posts. It may, however, be part of your image, depending on your brand and how you sell yourself. Another thing to think about is how you want to share your narrative. If you share it on social media, the number of people who see it will vary depending on the site.
Let’s imagine you’ve identified baby boomers as your target demographic.
According to the graph above, it wouldn’t be a good idea to communicate that tale on Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter since your audience isn’t engaged there. However, if you want to reach out to millennials, Instagram or Snapchat might be terrific places to start. Once you’ve identified your audience, you’ll be able to present the tale in a suitable tone and distribute it on the relevant channels.
2. What are you attempting to accomplish?
You might tell the most acceptable tale in the world, but if you don’t have a purpose in mind, it’s useless. The story must be actionable. You’ll only be able to convert clients and grow revenue if you do it this way. You must have a message that the consumer takes away with them. Consider the following example from the Farmers Insurance website:
Insurance businesses earn money in a variety of ways. First, they must sell insurance plans. In an ideal world, they sell a policy, and the consumer never has to file a claim. They have a report on Hurricane Harvey’s devastation in Houston, Texas, on their website. The underlying message to a potential consumer may be that flood insurance is necessary. Someone reading this article may believe that something similar may happen to their house if they reside in a low-lying location vulnerable to natural disasters. It could persuade them to buy or enhance their coverage.
3. Attempt to elicit an emotional reaction from the consumer.
Emotions are an effective technique to increase purchases. Again, return to the Farmers Insurance example from before. Fear is the feeling aroused by the narrative. For example, consumers may be terrified of experiencing a calamity, which may lead them to buy. Another example is fabricating a robbery narrative to get people to purchase a home security system. While fear is a strong feeling, it isn’t the only technique to elicit a reaction from your audience. When someone has an emotional response to a narrative, dopamine is produced from the brain.
Consider what other powerful feelings you may be able to elicit.
There are eight powerful emotions, according to Dr. Robert Plutchik, a psychologist and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine:
- Fear
- Anger
- Sadness
- Joy
- Disgust
- Surprise
- Trust
- Anticipation
While these are fantastic places to start, you may also use other emotions to connect with your audiences, such as love, sadness, or jealousy. It all relies on your marketing strategy and want to be seen as a company. To give you an example, consider TOMS shoes:
They have a biography of their company’s founder, Blake Mycoskie, on their website. They relate the narrative of Blake. Blake was motivated to start TOMS by personally watching young children growing up without shoes, as you can see from the highlighted phrases. Blake devised a plan to assist. Every pair of shoes purchased from his firm would be donated to a youngster in need. It’s a straightforward idea to help the less poor, as well as an excellent business model for a for-profit corporation. This narrative can elicit a wide range of emotions in the reader. They may feel sorry for the youngsters who do not have shoes at first. They may, however, be happy since something is being done to aid these children. Remember, we’re attempting to convey valuable tales. What type of reaction do you think this news will get? This emotional roller coaster may entice buyers to buy something because they know it will benefit a good cause.
4. Tell tales that your audience will understand.
People are more likely to connect with tales and ideas relevant to them. You’ll need to adjust your account if it’s unique and not applicable to a large audience. Otherwise, you should exclude it from your marketing strategy entirely. Tony Robbins, an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and business consultant, shares triumphant experiences with his audience.
His publications and self-help workshops aim to empower individuals to take charge of their lives and achieve financial independence. He shares his tale, revealing that he once had just $20 in his pocket. That is something to which most people can relate. Financial difficulties are familiar to most individuals since they affect them daily. Tony claims to have been in a similar situation at one time in his life, but there is a way out. He wants you to purchase his books to learn how you can do it. By giving you a narrative you can connect to, he’s hoping to elicit an actionable reaction from you. When he is worth millions of dollars, this is much more successful than delivering a tale about his current life. People may not relate to that lifestyle, but they can relate to financial difficulties.
5. As a forum for sharing your stories, start a blog.
It would be best to find a venue to share your stories now that you can compose them. A blog is required for your website. The advantages of blogging seem to be limitless. It’s a fantastic approach to increase the number of visitors to your website. Blogging will also help you interact more with your consumers. Customers will have a personal connection with you after reading your experiences. Because consumers know who they are supporting, this relationship may persuade them to purchase. It’s not like they’re handing over cash to some faceless, nameless corporation. I could speak about why your company needs a blog for the rest of the day, but we’ll keep that for another day. It’s just the most natural location for you to post your story-based material right now. Here are some things to think about while writing tales for your blog:
While your blog postings might be lengthy, the tales included inside them should be brief. Your clients don’t have enough time in the day to listen to your message for 40 minutes. Your article will not be read if you do this, which is futile and a waste of time. Don’t go off on a tangent. Please stick to the script and make it as actionable as possible. It would be best to use graphics in your tale to make it more interesting. Finally, make sure your title catches the attention of the reader. You might have a fantastic narrative, but it won’t be worth anything if no one clicks on it. Promote your blog content via other marketing channels, such as your social media profiles. You may also send them to your email list’s subscribers.
6. Another option to get your story out there is to make a video.
Not everyone enjoys reading. Many clients prefer to watch a product video more than four times than read about it. That is why I utilize my YouTube channel to share my audience’s tales.
You should create a YouTube channel immediately if you don’t already have one. Then, Bethan, begin to upload video material to your website and share it with your consumers. You may also use this space to double-dip your material. For example, use a tale from your blog and its video. You won’t have to come up with new subjects all the time this way.
7. Allow your consumers to tell one other about their own experiences.
While your tale may be fantastic, buyers may not believe it is a trustworthy source. People aren’t irrational (for the most part). You’re in charge of a company. They understand that everything you tell them will be biased in favor of your brand: you won’t post any tales that dissuade consumers from purchasing your items.
As a result, you should allow consumers to discuss their experiences on your website.
This may be done in a variety of ways, including:
- reviews
- testimonials
- Forums of discussion
Look at how Lululemon uses other people’s stories on their website:
Then, consider taking a similar strategy and creating a page on your website dedicated just to user-generated material.
Conclusion
Not everyone is born with the ability to tell a narrative. But if you follow the advice I’ve given above, you’ll be able to master this technique and see a favorable influence on your sales. First, keep your audience in mind while presenting a narrative. Check to see whether it’s relevant and related to the consumer. If you want your tales to be actionable, make sure you have a goal in mind for each one. Otherwise, it can simply end up being ineffective rambling information. The most effective tales elicit an emotional reaction from the listener. Customers are more likely to buy if the correct emotions are evoked. Make films out of your adventures and share your material via numerous marketing platforms. It would be best to have a section on your website dedicated to customer testimonials.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes storytelling effective in sales?
A: How well a story moves the audience is critical, but how it’s told. Whether you use primary or complex sentence structures can affect your effectiveness as a salesperson. And finally, the tone of voice and mannerisms in which someone tells their stories should matter just as much as what they’re saying
How can I improve my storytelling business?
A: The best way for you to improve your storytelling business would be to learn more about the market you are trying to enter and how it functions and create a brand that can stand out in the said market.
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