The Importance of Embracing the Art of Storytelling as a Brand

In today’s marketing environment, brands can achieve near-constant digital visibility and online presence thanks to the rapid growth of technology and social media. Online advertising platforms like Google Ads allow us to serve targeted, strategically positioned listings based on keywords searched by potential sales leads. Likewise, mainstream social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and beyond give us close access to devoted fans and loyal customers through both organic and paid content. Ultimately, each of these digital marketing channels helps any business to achieve one primary goal: push potential customers to convert through the art of storytelling.

Most business owners create their product, service or brand because they see a gap in the market that needs to be filled. The hard part? Giving that brand a distinct voice, background and story that resonates with its intended audience. In short, most entrepreneurs can no longer rely on hard-sell strategies popularized by used car commercials and “limited time only” language. From scrolling through social media to walking down the street, consumers are constantly flooded with ads every day. Because of this, consumers are forced to hack through brands with a machete like Indiana Jones in the jungle in an effort to find those that appeal and resonate with them most. Here’s why the art of storytelling can humanize and illuminate your brand in the dark, overcrowded jungle of modern advertising and digital marketing.

Put a Face with a Name

Imagine you’re having a conversation with a friend. Your friend mentions an acquaintance by name, but you don’t know anything about her background, personality or characteristics. When you eventually meet that acquaintance, you’re able to finally put a face with that name and, as you start learning more about her, you become more invested in creating a friendship with her.

In a sense, this is exactly what effective storytelling does to a brand. It humanizes and makes the brand something more than just a name — something more than just a product or service. Storytelling gives brands a background, personality, and characteristics that audiences can understand and identify with. Just like humans don’t enjoy interacting with robocalls, they also don’t like interacting with robotic, monotonous brands that feel more like a name rather than a name and a face.

Gives Your Audience a Bigger Reason to Invest in Your Brand

Because our worldwide marketplace is largely built on competition rather than exclusivity, there are likely a lot of products or services with offerings similar to your business. As technology and e-commerce continue to evolve together, it’s more important than ever to differentiate your brand from the competitors with a unique brand voice and storytelling that cannot be replicated. What’s one of the most popular ways business owners effectively set themselves apart from competitors? Cause marketing.

Take TOMS shoes, for example. TOMS climbed their way to the top of the shoe industry starting in 2006 when they introduced their simple canvas slip-on shoes alongside a very strategic philanthropic goal: to provide a new pair of shoes to children in developing nations for every pair of TOMS shoes sold. By doing so, founder Blake Mycoskie bridged his desire to create a for-profit shoe company with his personal goal to help children in need, effectively creating the foundation of his brand’s lifelong story and mission.

Creates Authenticity, and Authenticity Builds Trust

Humans thrive off of authentic moments, from their friendships and romantic interests to the businesses they frequent and the products they purchase. By nature, most consumers want to contribute to brands that make them feel an emotional connection. Some of the most successful brands in history compel us to purchase based on emotion and, when done effectively, they create loyal customers who never stray from their products or services.

Dove is one of these brands that has mastered authenticity through strategic ad campaigns that promote positive self-esteem and body image like the “Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.” With this campaign, Dove gives women a platform to celebrate their bodies regardless of shape, size, color or blemishes. This offers a breath of fresh air compared to mainstream Hollywood and the modeling industry — both accused of setting unrealistic standards by portraying the “perfect woman” as having a small waistline, flawless skin and a petite frame devoid of curves. In this campaign, Dove uses their authentic ad campaign to build trust with an audience who wants and deserves to celebrate their unique, beautiful physical variations.

Now that you know why it’s important for brands to embrace storytelling, it’s time to establish your own unique story in order to propel your brand to the next level. Contact Bolt Public Relations to learn how our digital marketing and public relations experts can help you build your brand story into a narrative that is truly unique, distinct and humanized.

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