Increase sales with great story-telling

Increase sales with great story-telling
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

If you’re looking to increase your sales margin, you can choose to spend a fortune on advertising that might be tuned out and ignored, or, you can employ a spiel, some sort of story that will attract and motivate your audience to listen to your message.

Engaging your customers draws them further within reach and can even entertain them and make their day. Your business will stand out the most in their minds, if you can manage to make a lasting impression by getting creative and using anything from fun characters to dramatic scenes and memorable humour.

The results? Your customers will not have to think twice about who they should go to, in order to get the solutions to their problems- the solutions that you offer.

Aim to captivate your target audience, by choosing a style and concept that will appeal to them.

How you can inspire and change their perceptions

You should never underestimate the power of a really good story, especially the kind that truly embodies the values and tastes of your audience. People love a good story, and they like to know that there are others like them, who have shared the same experiences, challenges, joys and sorrows. For example, a story about an underdog who has overcome his obstacles, despite their severity, can be used to inspire your audience to take action.

In general, people often have their opinions and set beliefs about many things, but a fun or interesting story can break through this barrier and get your message noticed and understood. Use stories to make people aware of your product or message, and to provoke them to think and come up with new perceptions on their own.

If shared creatively, your story could shift perceptions on many aspects of an idea, product or service, including an understanding of the way it is used or how it’s supposed to work. Furthermore, you can make an impact on consumers’ ideas on the trustworthiness of your brand.

Remember, when addressing your audience via stories, it’s not always sufficient to solely provide information, especially when you’re aiming for conversion. You can include special deals, discounts and offers, or a time limit. It’s critical to present it in such a way that it doesn’t disengage the viewer or listener. This is where a great story can act as an important tool for differentiating your brand against others that are similar to yours.

You can explain your concept clearly with a story by using appealing visuals, audio, and scenarios that clearly convey your message. Even the most intangible product or virtual service can be brought to life with a story.Help your audience to visualize and experience your product or service, with powerful and symbolic imagery, such as a piggy bank to represent a bank account; as well as effective and familiar sounds, like buzzing for bees and clicks to represent mouse clicks and online shopping.

An informative or educational story can be used to teach and explain concepts by using simple language. You can teach your audience how to use a product, while showing them why your brand is the best on the market. Motivate your audience by stimulating their various senses, so they are now armed with the gusto to act!

How to make your message more personable

Being personable is key to being attractive to customers. Consumers like to feel that a company is truly interested in their needs and wants, and not just their money. A story can speak to your audience in a personable way that will make them feel appreciated.

By taking a personable approach to your storytelling, your viewers would be able to connect with your story, and then they are more likely to interact with your brand. Consumers who see themselves in a story are also more likely to see themselves using your brand. For example, a young, nouveau riche consumer might connect with a story about meeting a significant other at a ball or high-class event.

Present scenarios that they can relate to, such as their way of life, and characters or personalities that remind them of themselves. By doing so, you make your audience feel understood and even accepted. To top it off, you could end up giving them the encouragement they need to dig and find out more about what you have to offer.

Use a colourful and likeable character in your story to represent your business and its ideals, to answer questions, provide useful tips and offer solutions on behalf of your company. You can even create a series, add gaps or cliff-hangers to your story to add suspense and drama, and this will leave your audience wanting more. But do not stop there: as a tactic, create many different scenarios to get your message across and to continue engaging your audience.

How to make your message more memorable

You want your story and characters to be remembered. When people see your brand’s characters, or other visuals that represent your marketing story, they will automatically associate this with your company and the products and services that you offer.

You can make your message more memorable by working with experts who can help you to develop your story and characters, and give them the weight they need to make an impact. Your unique story and characters will also appeal to your audience when they visit your website or see your marketing content online.

Your aim is to build a positive brand image for your company, so you want to go about this the right way. This is how you inspire confidence in your company in the present and for the future.

Because a good marketing story is brief and memorable, your brand will not be easily passed by or forgotten. Find the right people who can tell your story just the way it needs to be told, and be sure to personify the characteristics of your audience to create a well-targeted, unique concept that is truly inspiring and gets your message heard and remembered.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot