In today’s digitally-driven society, human connection has become a rare commodity. We are in a new era of digital storytelling, social listening and social purpose; where marketing is not only B2B or B2C focused, but also B2H – Business-To-Human. Organisations need to connect with their target audiences, tug at their heartstrings, and engage with them on a much deeper level than ever before.
Effective brand storytelling is a powerful way to connect your brand to its audience. According to Headstream, 55% of people consider buying from a brand if they love their brand story. 44% will share that particular story, and 15% will buy the product immediately.
The key to telling compelling brand stories is developing an emotional resonance with your audience – appealing to their ego, emotional state, needs and aspirations. A brand story is not just a series of events, but a journey where the audience feels part of the experience.
Let’s face it – facts on their own are boring.
Consumers today want to feel a connection with a brand on a personal level. They have stopped paying attention to feature lists and don’t want to feel like they are being sold to.
Think of yourself as a consumer for a moment… If you were shopping for new sneakers, would you buy from a company that constantly tells you about the type of fabric they use or would you buy from a brand that shows how your investment in its products help employ and upskill your local youth in a rural community? Most of us would go with the second option. Why is it that we prefer hearing a brand’s story to being hit by features? The reason is stories deliver information effectively, and we often imagine ourselves in the narrative and relate to the content more than a hard sell.
Every business has a story to tell, whether it’s an interesting way the business was launched, the ground-breaking way a product was invented, or the admirable way in which a business contributes to society – by understanding your audience inside and out you’ll be able to show your audience why your company matters.
Establishing authenticity and a connection with the customer is a crucial first step – nobody can copy a great story.
The role of storytelling in PR.
Drawing your audience into your brand narrative makes your content relatable and exciting, and has the power to influence changes in thought and behaviour in a persuasive way to drive conversion. With businesses and consumers constantly being bombarded with news and information, a compelling story cuts through the noise and gets your message heard.
Public relation’s core objective is to build mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and its core target audiences. Effective storytelling adds value to this process by enabling brands to communicate in a language of which their many viewers can relate. Evoking positive associations of your brand with your audience is the ultimate key to success.
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With extensive experience in the public relations, communication, branding and marketing industry, Edge Communications specialises in a spectrum of traditional and digital communication solutions to shape clients’ reputation through engaging with stakeholders and using multiple channels to tell effective stories and run creative campaigns.
