Storytelling is one of the oldest and most effective forms of communication. Stories can illustrate something, connect us, move us, engage us.
A good story can pull the audience in, whereas many sales pitches make people tune out. Some storytelling tips:
– Good guy/bad guy – set the stage and build up a story where the good guy beats the bad guy. It will create empathy with your audience (we all want the good guys to win), opening them up to promotional content after the story;
– Use obstacles – throw up a few roadblocks and show how the hero will overcome these obstacles. You can use this as an analogy of how your product or service can solve your audience’s business problems;
– Be natural – stories only work if they sound genuine. Drop the corporate speech, keep it free of industry lingo;
– Avoid distractions – keep it short and sweet. Omit details that don’t really matter, or you may lose your audience;
– Make it interactive – one way to hold on to your audiences is to make it interactive. Ask some questions, or say something that will evoke a question. Make them laugh. Add surprises; and
– Picture Perfect – Using images or videos will add punch to your presentation.
Using stories for marketing is be a great way to attract more attention to your business. Whether it is on your blog, in your promotional videos, your website. You can even use them in your sales process. So look at your current marketing materials and sales scripts; it may be time for a rewrite.
For more information: contact your web developer, or website optimizer Nardo Kuitert at www.asknardo.com or 519-787-7612. Nardo has written the On The Web column on behalf of the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce since 2006.
