Boring business jargon doesn’t have much impact when it comes to branding. A better approach that can be used to increase trust as well as your bottom-line results is storytelling. When people hear a story they can relate to, it builds connection and empathy, results that you won’t get with business-speak.
Storytelling is an effective way to bind your company’s mission with culture and purpose. The stories you tell should be honest and authentic, not fluffy or unrealistic. Honesty builds relatability and connections. This is something that AI isn’t likely to provide assistance with, since AI lacks empathy and can’t provide genuine personal experience.
Communication With Staff
Honesty, vulnerability, and a human touch help to increase connections with employees. The people working for any business don’t relate to communication that sounds dry or robotic. Storytelling is an effective way to communicate your company’s mission and core values while increasing connections with staff members. Some of the reasons to use storytelling in your communications include:
- Stories can educate or entertain while increasing feelings of connection.
- Stories engage emotions and stimulate the brain in a much different way than straight facts or data.
- Stories can bring people together and create a sense of community.
- Stories can motivate people to take action
Everyone has experienced a wide range of emotions in life such as rage, sorrow, disappointment and joy. Stories help to connect people through shared emotional experiences.
Communication With Customers
Loyalty from customers increases when they learn about the people behind the brand. Stories about struggles, failures and vulnerabilities add a human touch to any type of communication. Customers who feel a sense of connection are more likely to be open to communication from a brand.
A good example is communications via email. Most people are inundated with so many emails that not all of them get opened. When people decide which emails to open, they’re likely to prioritize the ones that come from someone they know and trust.
Effective communication with customers starts with knowing what drives and motivates your target audience. Know your readers and tell them the kind of stories that they will be interested in.
Which Stories to Tell
Personal anecdotes are a good way to increase relatability. When you tell a story, the goal is to communicate a message that resonates with people and grabs their attention. Use details that bring your story to life. Tell stories people can relate to such as stories about pets, childhood memories, parenting challenges or daily frustrations.
Be imaginative and use creativity. Tying stories into current events and trends helps the public see your brand as one that stays on top of what’s happening. Keep in mind that people are bombarded with messages vying for their attention all day every day. Stories need to have a human touch combined with what makes your brand unique while not sounding salesy.
Aim to tell stories that are believable, relatable, and memorable. Reach out to Softline Solutions for help using storytelling to grow your business and your online presence.
