Post on 21-Apr-2017
Business Storytelling Secrets
How to transform your marketing and generate superb leads using
digital storytelling
Recognise this guy?
Here’s what he says about the power of
storytelling
“Ever since I started in business.... I have been fascinated by the intersection of
entrepreneurship and storytelling”
“Entrepreneurs who make a difference
are, in effect, professional storytellers”
To this day Richard Branson continues to
grow his brand through digital
storytelling
Do you know who this is?
His name is Gary Vaynerchuk
Huge social media guru and self-made
billionaire
His Advice?
Whatever business you’re in…
...your job is to tell your story
Why does Storytelling Grow Brands so Successfully?
Put simply...
Humans are not hard-wired to understand
logic
Humans are ideally set up to understand
stories
We Like Stories
So we pay attention to them
(Attention is crucial because
you can only market to people if you have their
attention)
And once we’re
paying attention...
We connect
with stories
We feel an emotional warmth
And we’re more likely
to buy
Also weremember
stories
Stories quickly build memorable
brands
Attention=> Connection=> Action=> RecallThis is the power of story
But which stories deliver
results in business?
Your PersonalStory
You must tell your personal story
Your PersonalStory
Explain your why. Explain the passion behind your work.
James Dyson’s
personal story is a great example
40 years on the simple story on
the previous slide continues to be instrumental in Dyson’s global
success
“What I love most about my role is putting systems in place that make accounting and bookkeeping seamless and automatic. This means our clients can spend less time on their books and more time on their businesses. It also means that we spend less time preparing reports and returns and more time being proactive and giving strategic advice.”
On a smaller scale...
“What I love most about my role is putting systems in place that make accounting and bookkeeping seamless and automatic. This means our clients can spend less time on their books and more time on their businesses. It also means that we spend less time preparing reports and returns and more time being proactive and giving strategic advice.”
This simple story is part of a website that delivers 4 great leads every single week to a small accountancy firm.
Your BusinessStory
You must also tell your business story BUT...
...Not as a boring About Us page
Instead your business story is
about what you do for your customers
Here are a few examples of very
effective business stories
A company selling water filters
A family lawyer
A firm of architects
And a certain successful airline...
Richard decided that he was fed up with airlines that didn’t care about their passengers and he wanted to do something about it. A phone call to Boeing to find out if they had any 747s for sale and an airline was born.
“We just made it that much more special than all the other airlines we were competing with,” Richard says.
Your ProductStory
Your ProductStory
is about HOW
your products or services help your
customers
Your ProductStory helps to build credibility and trust
Here are 3 examples
A Farmer explains their system
Architects explain the project stages
And Dyson are masters at using
simple visuals to explain the
HOW from the customers’
viewpoint
And finally the most
important story of all...
...your customer story
Unless you know your market’s problems and desires inside
out your business will fail
Telling the customer story is
part of every other story
Everything you say comes back to the benefit for
them
A couple of examples
This farmer knows the 4 main reasons people choose grass fed and has those front & centre
This financial planner knows people’s concerns about investments & addresses them head on
So once you’re clear
on the stories… how
do you tell them?
In the digital space great
copywriting is the first step to
storytelling
Other media like images
and video flow from the
written word
Here are a few writing tips...
AvoidSelf Centred
Copy Like This
We exceed expectations by combining our systems with personalised service and a tailored adaptation to every unique client. We meet and endeavour to exceed legislated quality and compliance expectations.
Website visitors do not
care about you - they care about
what you can do for them
Don’t be vague like this
Our credibility to exceed client expectations in the industry has enabled us to form a network of equally qualified and experienced businesses to facilitate our clients’ needs and the option to only deal with the best across a plethora of industries
Your clients will see you as wishy washy
Avoid being too formal
Our financial planners offer cost effective services delivering results in a professional and timely manner
Get with the times - the
Internet is a modern place
Lose the complicated
language
Strategic Taxation planning is uniquely different in execution for each client due to differing family structures, resources and employment.
You write to communicate not
impress
Knowledgeable yes!
Arrogant no!
Here’s a useful tip that makes your
content sing...
Banish the Zombie!
By that I mean you must banish all
passive text!
If you can add by zombies to a
sentence and it makes sense it’s
passive
For example
Operating since 1994, differentiation is achieved
(by zombies) through strategic planning and a commitment to deliver
personalised service and financial peace of mind to
clients.
Or without the Zombies...
We’ve been in business since 1994. Careful
planning is the core of everything we do. We are committed to delivering a personalised service and financial peace of mind to
our clients.
Talk to your visitors
Not at them
And finally…
Enthusiasm and Passion
are Vital
Make sure your writer is passionate about what
you do
If you’d like to learn more or ask a question...
You can jump on a webinar with me
http://brilliantdigital.com.au/webinar-registration/
Check out my blog
http://bbim.com.au/blog/
Connect on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debjeffreys/
Or book a catch-up
http://www.meetme.so/BrilliantDigital
Have a great day - I’m looking forward to
reading your stories!