Harnessing the Influence of Stories for Business Growth
Storytelling is a powerful tool that can touch a nerve, reach a new audience, and boost your sales.
As humans, we are drawn to a good story, and when it resonates with us, it can inspire action like nothing else can.
Consider this:
Which would you rather read, an interesting story or a sales letter?
Which one is more likely to stick with you after a week? And which one are you more likely to buy from – a story that you can relate to or a product with a list of features and benefits?
If you reflect on your recent purchases, you’ll likely find that a story played a significant role in your decision-making process. Whether it was deciding which business advisor should you hire or the car you bought, a story that resonated with you likely influenced your choice.
Stories About You
You’ve heard it time and time again: People buy from those they know, like, and trust. And one way to build that trust is by sharing your own stories. Potential clients want to know how you got into business, what experiences shaped your decisions, and what lessons you’ve learned along the way.
Your stories don’t have to be directly related to business to be powerful.That anecdote about the time you nearly got arrested for not having a valid driver’s license is the perfect lead into a blog post about better record keeping.
Or a story about seating two warring families together at your wedding reception can illustrate the value of relationship building.
Stories About Your Clients
Otherwise known as social proof, stories about your clients are incredibly valuable in your marketing and branding strategy. Testimonials, white papers, case studies – they are all stories that demonstrate how you and your products have made a positive impact on someone’s life or business. I adore putting those together,be sure to bring fun and enjoyment in your story telling.
Stories About Your Products
Yes, even your products have stories to tell. As you work to craft these stories, ask yourself these 3 questions:
- Why did you decide to create that new coaching program?
- What will it help your clients achieve?
- Who is it not suited to?
These stories can provide potential clients with valuable insights into your offerings and help them determine if your products or services are the right fit for them- and I bet they’ll be more engaging than a sales page ever will. When you openly share your thought processes as you were creating your program, buyers will instantly know if it’s a product that will work for them or not.
Stories have the power to shape your branding and marketing efforts, but it’s important to use them wisely.
Beware of the awkward insertion of a story just because you’ve heard it’s good for your marketing. If you find yourself midway through a blog post and you write something like, “but anyway, enough of that, let’s get on with business” and then making a total shift to a completely different subject, it’s likely the story isn’t working.
But if you can tie your story into the message you want to convey, it becomes a valuable asset for branding, increasing sales, and growing your business.
We [all] love stories and the benefits of incorporating storytelling into your marketing are priceless
[Please] Don’t be afraid to tell yours.
