How to Harness the Power of Storytelling (and Captivate Your Audience)
By Sarah Wardle Jones
“What’s your favorite movie?”
If you’ve been asked this question before it’s likely your eyes lit up before you launched into an impassioned answer. It’s the perfect conversation starter because who doesn’t love a good story?
Stories shape and define us. It’s the way we’ve made sense of our world, passed on information, and created a sense of belonging for millennia. If you’re a business owner looking to create an authentic connection with your audience, then it’s hard to compete with the power of telling a compelling story.
Understanding the Elements of Storytelling for Business
The idea of storytelling for your business can feel daunting. You’re in the thick of the action of running everything, after all! However, storytelling for business is simpler than you might imagine. A good story just needs three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end.
- The beginning: This is the part of the story where you make the introductions. You might talk about your product or service, or perhaps the problem your customer has. And believe it or not, it only takes a sentence or two.
For example, someone running ice cream shop needs to make a Facebook post. They might start with, “Looking for a sweet treat?” In this example, the ice cream shop introduces the problem: their customer needs a sweet treat but doesn’t have one yet! - The middle: The middle of the story gets to the point and offers details that will move the plot to resolution. This is the perfect place to talk about what you offer and discuss any special deals. Again, it might only be a sentence or two!
The ice cream shop might write, “We have 15 different flavors of ice cream to suit every taste!” The ice cream shop has the solution because it sells sweet treats!. This is the point of the post and it’s framed within a narrative arc. - The end: The end of the story wraps everything up and explains what to do with the information contained in the story. It’s a great place to include a call to action.
The ice cream shop could end their post by inviting customers to their store. “Stop by today and discover your favorite flavor.” They’re asking people to buy their ice cream and since it’s in story form, it’s easy to imagine yourself buying an ice cream cone from their shop.
Implementing Storytelling in Your Marketing Strategy
The wonderful thing about this structure is that you can implement it across your marketing strategy. Your business is likely brimming with stories and this framework will help you tell them in a compelling way. It works for social media posts as well as longer form pieces like brochures and webpages. Let’s break it down:
- Social media: You can use this form to write a single, three-sentence post (like we did above) or create three slides that contain the elements of your story.
- Print collateral: This form works well for brochures and other print pieces too. Whether you’re creating a brochure, a flyer, or a one-pager, you’ll still need a beginning, middle, and end.
- Web pages: People usually have an objective in mind when they’re visiting your website. When you offer them information with a beginning, middle, and end, they’re more likely to stay focused and they’ll quickly find the information they need.
Get Help Telling a Story that Connects
At LeadPoint Digital, we’re committed to the craft of storytelling as much as we’re committed to getting results for our clients. With the right storytelling strategy, you can feel confident that your marketing strategy connects with the people you want to reach. If you’d like help telling captivating stories for your business, get in touch with us!
