Storytelling is one of the oldest of all human traditions. Whether it’s an ancient myth being told around a campfire or an uplifting story we read on our phones, there’s always a good one to be found.
However, what most people don’t realise is that storytelling can actually be a powerful inbound marketing tool to help you generate more leads. Read on to find out why it’s so effective:
Stories are More Relatable
One of the reasons people love stories so much is because they can relate them to their lives. Even if someone has never lived through the same situation as the character in your story, they can still see what the situation was and relate and connect to it in a meaningful way.
As a result, if you can get your inbound marketing material to tell a good story, then you’re making it easier for people to relate to and understand your brand. This will allow them to digest your content more easily, and it can help to encourage action.
They Help You Connect with Your Audience
Stories help to build trust with people. They make you and your brand more human, and people like this more than the feeling they get when they know they are working with just some big company.
However, what’s important to note is that you don’t need to save your storytelling efforts for just blog posts and other articles. Spend some time telling a compelling “About Me” story and use stories in the emails you send out to people. Giving your audience more chances to connect with you and your brand in a significant way can only be good for business.
Plus, it builds an extra layer of trust, improving the relationship and boosting your opportunity of converting a lead into a sale.
They Play on People’s Emotions
We can never forget that humans are primarily emotional beings. We have a tremendous capacity to rationalise and reason, but in the end, most of us just “go with our gut.” As a result, to be successful with your inbound marketing, you need to find a way to elicit an emotional response from your reader, and what better way to do that than with an interesting and compelling story?
The story could be about anything, ranging from something that makes people happy to something really helpful about your product. In this sense, the content doesn’t matter so much as the emotional response it generates, as this is what will ultimately inspire action.
Larger Than Life
Another thing people want to feel is connected to something larger, and stories present you with a great opportunity to do this. Try to tell stories that show how your product or service can impact some larger cause, and this will make people feel good and more motivated to buy from you. Again, this is one of the main reasons we love stories so much, so try to use it to build your brand.
Write, Write, Write
Storytelling is an effective tool, but it’s also a skill that takes time to master. But don’t worry. You’ll get there. Start by writing whatever comes to your mind and make it a habit to write frequently. Over time, your stories will get better and then you will really have an effective marketing tool at your fingertips.