Why Effective Storytelling Is the Key to Successful Content Marketing

By Amy Cowen

Why are the commercials of famous brands like Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker, and Mercedes Benz so successful? Their large budgets certainly set a nice foundation for success, but that’s not all. If you look at the ads for each of these companies very carefully, you’ll notice a universal feature in the most successful promotional campaigns: they all tell a story.

People are attracted to stories from an early age. There is a reason why parents teach valuable lessons through this method: stories are engaging and they capture the attention of the listener from the beginning to the very end. And this is exactly why storytelling is such a powerful content marketing tool. It holds the attention of the audience.

Why storytelling should be the foundation of every content marketing strategy

1. Stories share a real experience

Instead of listing the benefits of your products and services with a large piece of text, you can inform your audience about the way they will benefit from your offer through a story. Everyone wants to hear about other people’s experiences before purchasing a particular product or service. When you base your content marketing efforts on stories, your potential customers will get something more than features and facts. They will understand why they need your product and they will be ready to take the action you suggest.

2. Storytelling makes you unique

Your products and services have unique features, but the thing that will really distinguish you from your competitors is your story. You’ve certainly seen Coca-Cola’s New Year's commercials; they're memorable and unique because they look like a fairy tale. When you add an unexpected twist to the content you produce, your audience will remember your brand and think of it whenever they need the services or products you offer.

3. Storytelling adds a human element to your content

Customers don’t want to be friends with your business; however, when you infuse a human element into your content marketing efforts, they will feel like they know the characters. They also share the same problems and want the same solutions, so your brand becomes an attractive choice when they see how other people use it.

4. Stories awaken empathy

If you don’t have a story that goes with your brand, then you’re just another business. Every marketer should have a goal to develop an emotional connection with his or her audience. You want to make people feel something, so they will be ready to take action as soon as they read one of your texts, watch a video, listen to a podcast, or access any other type of content you produce.

5. Storytelling doesn’t sound "salesy"

“Buy this product because it’s the best one on the market—plus it’s affordable and it has great features.” That statement sounded very dry and unconvincing, right? Taking a "salesy" approach is the most common mistake that marketers make. When you promote your brand through a story, you’re not trying to convince the audience to buy your products, you're just sharing an experience and leaving the decision to them. Customers will be much happier to make a purchase when they feel like they are the ones making the choice.

More articles from AllBusiness.com:

• Humanize Your Company With the Power of Storytelling
• The Art of Storytelling in Branding and Marketing
• 15 Essential Skills for Content Marketers—Do You Have Them?
• Once Upon a Brand: Learning the Art of Business Storytelling
• 5 Tips to Develop Your Authentic Brand Voice, Which Is Marketing Gold

How to master the art of business storytelling

Consider storytelling as a way to add meaning to the information you want to introduce to your audience. All the features and advantages of your product are important, so you want potential customers to understand them without reading factual information in the form of product description.

Here are few tips that will help you develop the perfect content marketing story:

1. Make your story relevant for customers

It’s impossible to think of one story that would appeal to every single person on the planet. Instead, narrow down your focus to your target audience. What problems does your buyer persona face? How can you turn that ideal customer into a character of your story? How can you present the solution in the most compelling manner? All these questions are important in developing a storytelling strategy.

2. Turn storytelling into a strategic approach

One way to incorporate storytelling into your content marketing is to share a different experience with every piece of content you produce. One way to do this is to share the stories of real users. However, for a really unique approach, you need to turn your story into a strategy. When target audience is emotionally connected to the characters, you'll be able to grow that story further.

3. Base your story on the belief system of your audience

When you want to convince your target customers that your products and services fit into their lifestyle, you need to take their belief system into consideration. If, for example, you’re promoting an energy drink, you can associate the story with fast driving, adventure sports, fitness, and other activities that would fit into the lifestyle of this category of customers.

RELATED: How Storytelling Can Help You Reconnect With Customers and Reinvigorate Your Business