Are people skipping over your content like stones over a placid lake?
Do website visitors land on your homepage but scurry off when they realise you’re just another faceless enterprise?
Do you ever wish you could get inside the heads of your ideal client and uncover what they’re thinking or–not thinking–when they read your copy?
Well, I can’t help you with that mind-reading thing, but I can help with your low-engagement problem.
The Human Factor
Now, I’m assuming your website visitors, email list subscribers and social media followers are humans—again, I can’t help if we’re talking about other species.
The thing about us humans is that we crave stories, whether or not we realise it or not. We’re hard-wired to think in terms of narratives. It’s how we communicate and make sense of the world. We’ve been telling stories for thousands of years and will continue to do so for thousands of years to come.
So, if storytelling is such an integral part of our lives, why are so many business owners so reluctant to utilise it in their communication and marketing strategies?
Storytelling in Business
If you’re a business owner looking to boost customer engagement and connect more authentically with your audience, then you should be leveraging the undeniable power of storytelling to craft engaging copy that will not only captivate your audience but also inspire them to take action.
But, Ackelia, can a story really impact my business? I hear you ask.
Well, it depends on what kind of impact we’re talking about. Like, if you’re trying to build trust and loyalty, stand out from your competitors, humanise your brand, and ultimately boost engagement and increase revenue, then yes, storytelling works.
If you need some more convincing, here are the top 7 reasons you should be incorporating storytelling in your business:
1. More Memorable Than Facts And Figures
People don’t care about facts and figures. Okay, that’s not entirely true. We do care about the numbers, but stories are far more memorable and more influential.
Stories engage our emotions, which in turn helps in memory retention. So, you can make the numbers mean something by wrapping them in a story.
2. Stand Out From The Crowd
If you’re in a highly competitive industry and facing intense competition from bigger brands with bigger budgets, you’ll know firsthand how loud and crowded it can feel. It’s as though everyone is doing or saying the same thing and you can’t seem to stand out or make your mark.
Well, this is your opportunity to tell a powerful and compelling story that cuts through the noise. Be the brand that makes a lasting impression. The one that people can’t stop talking about. Be remarkable.
By telling your unique story, whether that’s your origin story, your mission story or your aspirational story, you’re already setting your brand apart from all the others. Your story is worth telling and people want to hear it. So, go on. Tell your story and stand out from the competition.
3. It’s A Little Thing Called Loyalty
Why would anyone be loyal to a brand they don’t know? And what better way to get to know a brand than through storytelling?
Tell emotive, relatable stories that resonate with the specific pain points or needs of the people you’re trying to help. Show them that you care and that you’re committed to solving their problems and improving their lives in some way. Share your history or a personal story that speaks directly to your audience. Take them on a journey with you.
4. Trust Me, I Know What I’m Talking About
I think we’re all a little sceptical of marketing. But a little scepticism is good for keeping us safe from potential scams and unsavoury characters.
Not all marketing is bad, however. If you have a product or service that is genuinely useful and valuable to your intended audience, then you’re going to have to get comfortable doing a bit of marketing to get the word out there. How else will people know what you have to offer?
And while marketing your business or service, you want to build trust with your audience. Let’s use an example. Say you’re a life coach who specialises in helping single parents navigate life and find balance within their careers and raising children.
You might think listing your qualifications and years of experience is enough to build trust. But those are only part of the equation.
If you also happen to be a single parent, this is your chance to show a little vulnerability and authenticity. Share the challenges you faced as a single parent, including financial worries, guilt, loneliness and exhaustion. Talk about what you know will resonate with your audience, then reveal the other side.
Share how you transformed your life and can now offer the tools and guidance necessary to help other parents thrive as well. Take it a step further and share the stories of past clients and other single parents you’ve helped in the past. This might be in testimonials or case studies.
When people visit your website or profile, they come with a specific problem in mind. If you can demonstrate that you know what you’re talking about and show that others have found success from working with you, then trust will inevitably follow.
5. SIT: Simplify, Illustrate, Teach
I mentioned before how our brains are basically hard-wired for stories. When it comes to complex ideas and difficult concepts, you can use stories to simplify these ideas so they’re more digestible for a general audience, which in turn can improve engagement.
Likewise, when teaching a new topic or lesson, tell stories that illustrate how this subject relates to your audience in an easy-to-understand way. Kind of like what I did in the coaching example above.
Tell a story; teach a lesson.
6. Show The Human Side Of Your Business
Don’t forget, your customers and clients are people first and people want to connect with other people. By showing the human side of your business, you’re building a bridge between the chasm that is the abstract concept of your business and the actual value you’re offering.
Say, for example, you founded a biotech company and you’re looking to persuade investors to fund your work. In your pitch, you might be tempted to waffle on about how groundbreaking this new tech is and how it’s going to revolutionise the world, blah blah blah.
While your audience might “get it” in theory, you have a better chance of success by framing your goals within a story. Set the scene. Paint a vivid picture of what life is currently like with this major problem. Tell an authentic account of how the “problem” has affected you or someone you know and care about. Then, express why it has become your life’s mission to bring this technology to market and change people’s lives considerably.
Connect with your audience on an emotional level and before you know it, they’re on their feet, applauding you with tears in their eyes, practically throwing money at you. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but you get what I mean.
Show the human side to connect with other humans.
7. Inspire and Motivate
I don’t know about you, but I love hearing inspirational stories about people who’ve overcome tremendous obstacles to triumph. It stirs something within us to believe that great things are possible and that we can dream big. These stories can motivate us to take action and take on challenging tasks.
Similarly, by telling your own interesting and captivating stories either on your website, in your emails or in social media posts, you too can inspire action.
Tell a story that inspires.
And there you have it, 7 reasons you should be incorporating storytelling in your business. If you had any doubts about the impact storytelling could have on your business, I hope this article has helped and I hope it has inspired you to tell your story as well!
Thanks so much for reading. Stay tuned for more articles on storytelling and its place in business and everyday life.
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Author: Ackelia Williams, Scientist-turned-Freelance Copywriter
Ackelia traded in her lab coat for a laptop and now helps people unlock the power of storytelling in business and everyday life. Originally from the Caribbean, she now lives in the UK with her family but plans to embark on an adventurous life as a digital nomad in the near future.
If you’re looking to hire a freelance copywriter or discuss how she can help you tell your story, email info@awcopywriter.com.