He Million Person Project Learning to Tell Your Story Powerfully in Service of Your Art

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Updated October 2021

Capturing your audience's attention for even five minutes is a huge achievement for brands in today's competitive content marketing landscape.

On the other manus, movies and Idiot box shows can capture the attention of those same people for hours and get in difficult to walk away from (nosotros even have a term for this: bing watching). So what's the departure?

Storytelling.

If your brand can create an effective narrative, you'll be able to capture your audience'due south attention for longer periods of time, make a more memorable impression, and meliorate brand loyalty.

Hither are nine splendid examples of storytelling marketing to inspire your content.

What Is Storytelling in Marketing?

What do stories have to exercise with marketing?

Since people think stories 22x more than facts and figures, storytelling in your content can boost conversion rates.

A story is an "account of imaginary or real people and events told for amusement," so storytelling is simply the art of sharing a message in the form of a story. For businesses, a story is a powerful medium to convey their bulletin in a gripping and memorable fashion.

And then what separates a powerful story that sells your make from a mediocre story that will be before long forgotten?

Get-go, it should have a relatable character. This character could be a real person (such as an influencer, founder or make evangelist) or a fictional grapheme created by the make that serves as an example. We use made-upwardly characters in our post on marketing funnels for this very purpose:

In add-on, there should exist some sort of conflict that this person faces, a learning process, and a satisfying resolution.

If yous include these elements, yous're already off to a nifty start. Remember, the most compelling stories are those that are the most relatable or touching to the target audience's heart.

Earlier we swoop into some excellent examples of the power of storytelling in action, allow's kickoff mention the key elements of good storytelling.

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5 Principles of Skilful Storytelling

If you desire to transform your ordinary production into something boggling, you need to marketplace your services with impressive storytelling. And in order to implement storytelling in your content marketing strategy, y'all demand to understand the principles of storytelling.

Here are the five basic principles of storytelling that every business organization should follow:

1) Choose a Relatable Principal Character

A story is incomplete without a main character. The protagonist, or hero, adds a face to the story to which people can chronicle. As mentioned above, this can be a real person or brand, or a fictional 1.

Either way, you need to choose a character that makes it piece of cake for audiences to understand your story and you demand to brand him or her attractive (not as in "good looking"; equally in "appealing"). This character should be interesting and well-defined enough to leave an impression in the minds of the reader.

2) Put the Best Elements in the Start of Your Story

Simply equally with an article with a great hook, you lot should put the best elements of your story at the beginning rather than saving "the best" for the stop. You want to immediately lure the reader or watcher into your story and compel them to share your blog or video with others.

For example, instead of using a title likeHow I Became An Entrepreneur that doesn't connect with the audience, use a title likeHow I Started Earning $100,000 Per Year from My Mom's Basement. The second championship is much better considering hither you lot have put the best element of your story –the juicy detail: money –at the beginning.

Related Content: How to Write Hero Headlines to Skyrocket Click-Through Rates

iii) Create "Conflict"

It might audio strange but, yep, conflict in your story helps go on your audience engaged. At present, how do you create conflict in your brand's story without getting your CFO arrested for banking concern robbery?

Four steps to creating (and overcoming) conflict:

• Start, you lot demand to make your customers or niche influencers the hero of your story and when nosotros first encounter them, they have an issue or a problem that they want to solve, or a want or activity they want to achieve. This is most people before they discover a helpful product.
• At the kickoff,they must fail (or already accept failed) with whatever they are trying to achieve. If they immediately become what they want, yay for them, simply then there'south no story.
• And then, add differing opinions and obstacles tocreate conflict that gets in the style of the hero achieving their goal. This could be the research phase of a consumer trying to find a solution to their problem.
• Finally, when the protagonist finds your product or service, theobstacles are overcome and they achieve their desire and/or fix their problem. Things should fall into place merely at the terminate.

4) Understand the Relationship Betwixt Listening and Telling

There is a reciprocal relationship between listening to and telling stories. Just imagine that you are telling a story to a group of people, but they aren't listening to you. Volition you exist able to tell your story? Nope.

Place the obstacles to getting your audition to heed to you, such as:

• External obstacles
• Physical obstacles
• Internal obstacles
• Psychological obstacles
• Relational obstacles

In the case of marketing, getting your audition to listen to your story ways understanding their mental state, their likes and dislikes, their attention span, their behavior, etc. Otherwise, all your efforts are wasted.

Related Content: The Ultimate Guide to Developing Buyer Personas (with Templates!)

5) Go on Your Story Authentic

People beloved authenticity, which is the fastest way to connect with another human being. It is upward to y'all to produce a story that is genuine and unique. Practise not steal other people's ideas or try to come across as someone you lot are not just to print them.

Every bit long every bit you stay true to your brand, information technology will be like shooting fish in a barrel for people to react (and connect) to your story. In other words, your make personality should exist reflected in your story, then if you are a dominion-bending startup, create a funny or irreverent narrative. If yous are a traditional law firm, create a reassuring and professional narrative.

People purchase products after reading the stories associated with those products, so what is more authentic than this?

Related Content: The Art of UX Storytelling: How to Create Your Brand'south Story

ix Vivid Examples of How Brands Use Storytelling in Marketing

Here are 9 storytelling marketing examples to provide inspiration on how y'all tin use effective stories across your marketing strategy. These examples embrace multiple marketing channels (not just Telly and YouTube ads), too as cover B2B and B2C brands.

1) New York Presbyterian Hospital: Connect with Your Audience Through Your Customers

New York Presbyterian Hospital has ane of the almost active social media accounts across the healthcare sector. And later on scrolling through just a few of their posts, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to see why their audience is so captivated by their brand.

Rather than proving their expertise and skill by showing off complex healthcare data, they attain the exact same mission through simple patient stories.

For example, this video and social media post is about a singer that suffered a eye assault:

Every bit yous can see, the disharmonize of the story is that the vocaliser/patient had a centre attack, and the doctors were there to save the day (the heroines of the story). It has a happy resolution and, on the whole, is the kind of story you would meet in a moving-picture show.

Therefore, it's no surprise that this story performs well. There are plenty of other patient stories as well, like this ane of seventh grader Ashley Santa Anna:

Fundamental Takeaway: Rather than writing dry case studies well-nigh your successes, ask your customers to share their stories and the challenges they faced before using your make.

2) Justin Goff: Connecting with Your Audience Through Pain Points

When we think of storytelling, it oftentimes includes images, videos or spoken discussion, though it'due south an essential element of copywriting as well.

Most any professional copywriter can provide case studies of how storytelling has helped them scale their offers and sell more, and Justin Goff is no exception.

Originally one of the most in need copywriters for his uncanny ability to produce multi-one thousand thousand successes over and once more, he now has a mastermind for up-and-coming copywriters. To sell seats to this mastermind, he uses storytelling in almost every electronic mail. Here's merely one email that he sent out ad the mastermind:

Here's his full email:

Last Nov, Michael Rochin was unexpectedly fired from his job every bit a customer service rep. So his $55,000 income disappeared in an instant. And with a wife and a 2-year quondam girl relying on him, Michael felt like he was letting them down.

"It was a pretty night fourth dimension for me. I was the sole provider and I was failing. I couldn't fifty-fifty afford Christmas gifts for my daughter"

Michael was in a bad place…. But he knew that he needed to make money. So he was applying for ANY chore possible.

Things like client support…. And doing deliveries for Door Dash…. But he wasn't getting hired. He kept getting denied. So he cut his expenses to the os, and lived off his pocket-size savings for the next few months.

That was until February came around and nosotros had our Copy Accelerator result in Las Vegas.

I recollect Michael posting in our Justin & Stefan Talk Copy group and mentioning that he wanted to come to the result, simply he didn't have the coin. He said he was determined to practice anything and everything possible to get the money to go.

His wife idea he was nuts. "Y'all're not spending $3,000 to go to an consequence," she said.

Simply after a few weeks of pleading with her… Michael finally convinced his wife that this would be the best affair for their family. So he ponied upwardly the little money that he had for a ticket, and went to the event in Vegas.

However, in one case he was at the event in Vegas his imposter syndrome flared up then bad that he nigh left.

"I tried to leave on the kickoff twenty-four hours before the result even started. I felt like I didn't vest in that room," he said.

Luckily Stefan found Michael trying to slink out of the room, and pulled him back in. And over the side by side two days Michael'southward eyes were opened to what was possible as a copywriter.

He connected with other writers that were making money he never thought possible. Copywriters pulling in $20k and $30k a month….

He met business concern owners similar VShred, Natural Health Sherpa, Cody Bramlett and 4Patriots who he talked to about writing re-create for them.

"Information technology changed everything for me," he said.

Now what'southward even crazier is that as heart opening as the outcome was for Michael…o n the 2nd day of the upshot, Stefan pulled me aside and said Michael wanted to sign upwards for our mastermind.

I was surprised. "Expect, you hateful the guy who could barely afford to be hither? How'due south he gonna practice that?"

It seemed similar quite a stretch for me. But Stefan knew Michael better than I did. And told me that his copy skills were actually pretty solid already.

"I recollect if we can get him a few clients in the showtime month he's going to do really well," Stefan said.

I was skeptical. Mostly because I don't similar putting someone who is downwards to their last penny into a $3k a calendar month coaching program. Just Stefan was determined that it was the right thing for him.

So I said "ok."

That was back in the beginning of March that all this went down. And in the 2 months since joining the mastermind, Michael has picked up numerous high paying copywriting jobs. He has a monthly retainer customer in the health niche. Too as multiple clients that he's working with on a per-projection basis.

In fact, last month was his best calendar month always as copywriter – bringing in $10,000! Which is an amazing feat in that short of a time frame. Particularly considering where he was just a few months prior to this.

Michael'south a great attestation to the idea that the best things come up out of your darkest times. And so a large congrats to Michael on his success so far. And for existence our Copy Accelerator member of the week.

Both Stefan and I are excited to meet you lot continue to abound this year.

If you desire to hear more of Michael's story, and the big things he'due south learned in Copy Accelerator, feel free to watch the interview I only did with him. It'due south posted on Youtube right hither.

Equally you can come across, despite being a long electronic mail, it's a gripping tale for anyone who is interested in condign a copywriter or is struggling to earn more as a copywriter.

However, Justin also sends plenty of emails that only include small anecdotes to bear witness his point. The reason why I doubtable his emails perform especially well is that the character in the story is e'er someone real. For B2B, this is powerful.

For case, nigh of the anecdotes in his emails are about his ain trials and challenges in the early on days of his copywriting career and how he managed to overcome them.

Even if yous sell a B2B product, consider how yous tin can add stories to your make's narrative. People similar interacting with other people, so brand your brand human.

Key Takeaway: Most people think of TV commercials and viral social media posts for B2C brands when they think of storytelling in marketing. However, there are plenty of opportunities for B2B brands to comprise storytelling into their written content as well. Just practice writing stories and learn how to create tension and resolve it.

Related Content: fifteen Tips and Tricks to Write Better B2B SaaS Website Copy

3) Nike: Allow Your Make's Influencers to Tell the Story for Yous

Nike is known for having remarkably strong marketing collateral. Each message is powerful and stands backside the core values of Nike – which is interesting given that the founder, Phil Knight, revealed in his book Shoe Dog that he didn't believe much in marketing in the early on days of the business.

However, perhaps it was considering they didn't believe in marketing that they did and so well. Rather than forcing the product on people with flashy branding, they went out to their customers, created a better production, and asked athletes with large followings to use their product. The make became synonymous with strength, grit and hard work.

Even today, Nike athletes such every bit LeBron James and Michael Jordan are known for not only their talent on the field/court, just also their core values of difficult work and determination.

The company'southward strong storytelling messaging is apparent in nigh every advertizing they make. For example, this video features not i hero, but a grouping of heroes (the minority community) overcoming their sports goals as well every bit the challenges of racial differences and discrimination:

Your hero doesn't have to exist a single person. It can be a group of people fighting and struggling towards the same goal.

Cardinal Takeaway: Consider using influencers who support your core values and have them tell your make's story for you.

Related Content: Simply Practice Information technology: What We Tin Learn from Nike'southward $39B Marketing Strategy

four) Noah Kagan: Share Your Own Raw Stories to Connect

Noah Kagan is the founder of AppSumo, a company that sells software and now drives near $100 million per month. Still, he too is working towards building his personal brand and has created a YouTube channel that is an first-class example of storytelling marketing in the B2B sector.

Each video is informative and instructive, and the content pulls from his ain personal experiences. These personal experiences are first-class examples of storytelling. For instance, in this video, he tells the very real and raw story of how he was fired at Facebook:

This kind of feel is unique and yet relatable for anyone struggling with their electric current job. It also brings hope to those watching as Noah proves that you can become on to create a multi-million-dollar company even if you are living your worst moment.

You might exist thinking that you lot don't accept any stories as interesting every bit getting fired from one of the largest companies in the world. Fortunately, your stories don't accept to likewise impressive or wild. Near of Noah'south stories are about things he did when he was younger to get going – various side hustles, networking events, and other perfectly attainable goals.

Key Takeaways: If you lot're struggling to create a storyline, merely expect at your squad. Leverage their experiences to create a relatable story for your next marketing entrada.

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5) Kerrygold: Create Fictional Stories to Connect

If you're selling a B2C brand, a popular mode to connect with the audience is through fictional storytelling. These stories can exist sweet, funny or humorous, as long as they portray a captivating narrative.

Kerrygold is an splendid example of this.

Their ad "First Day" is about a family unit that wakes up early to prepare a special meal for the son that has just completed his kickoff day on the job (presumably as a chef):

While it may seem impossible to create a story effectually butter, it's more than nearly how Kerrygold butter is a role of the family unit'due south lives. Without this butter to connect them, they wouldn't accept the perfect dish share with the son and, therefore, the perfect surprise.

The advertisement was created in mid 2020 and they are still running it at the end of 2022, so it'south prophylactic to assume that this is i of their near successful ads.

Key Takeaways: If you take what you recall is a rather mundane product, focus on the lives of your customers and create fictional stories that are emotionally charged. In this case, rather than focusing on butter ("how do you tell an emotional story about churned cream??"), it focuses on the feel that butter helps create for Kerrygold customers.

6) Patagonia: Using Your Customers' Stories

Patagonia is some other excellent case of a brand that has risen to the meridian of a very competitive industry thanks to its storytelling marketing strategy.

Instead of creating fictional stories, as Kerrygold did, they tell the existent stories of their customers' lives in the outdoors. However, rather than just running story-based marketing campaigns on ane channel, it's the common denominator across every single marketing campaign they run.

For example, their social media accounts post videos of their customers' stories:

While the web log offers written client stories:

Key Takeaways: As you incorporate storytelling into your marketing, use an omnichannel arroyo where every piece of content produced is underlined with a story – non just a single aqueduct. In addition, using your customers every bit the characters of your story is the best manner to relate to potential customers.

Related Content: five Tips to Build a Seamless Omnichannel Customer Experience

7) IKEA: Use Humor to Promote Your Products and Services

IKEA Singapore uses humor and hilarious puns in their storytelling videos to illustrate applied storage and furniture solutions.

This video is entitled Better Your Private Life and is narrated by Fille Güte, a "Shelf-Aid Guru". It features a typical husband and wife arguing nigh the lack of infinite in their sleeping accommodation – and then the Shelf-Help Guru comes in with a solution: IKEA's Pax wardrobe, Malm drawers, Komplement interior fittings, etc.:

The video uses humour to swell consequence:

• Married woman: "I just wish you knew what to do with your junk."
• Husband looks mortified. Camera pans down to his hips, then refocuses on the pile of junk on the floor of their small-scale bedroom.
• Cut to Shelf-Help Guru suggesting IKEA furniture to solve the problem of space in their bedroom and, at the same fourth dimension, saving their spousal relationship.

The advertizing ends by saying "Begin your journey of shelf discovery". This story is something that every couple faces at some point in their relationship, and IKEA hits all the right points. Information technology's a mutual story with a unique touch! You can fifty-fifty see in the video comments below how much people love IKEA'due south humorous ads.

Key Takeaway:Don't be agape to get personal with your customers. Be funny but stick to your make values at the same time. Use an influencer to convey your message and offer a solution to the problem.

8) Dove: Share Stories About Existent People to Stir Up Emotions

Dove is ane of the beginning brands that popularized the thought of featuring their customers in their videos. Mostly they've featured women, but recently the company fabricated a shift and featured men (dads) in their videos. The concept was amazing.

In their video Pigeon® Men+Care® Mission: Care, they show a man named John reuniting with his family on Father's Day outside his U.S. military machine base after talking about how difficult information technology is to be abroad from his kids for months at a time.

This video is a truthful story created with the Operation Homefront to let war machine personnel reunite with their families on special occasions – and I cartel you to watch information technology without violent up!

Fundamental Takeaway: Focus on real people and utilize authentic emotions in your story. Your make motto must lucifer the story moral presented in the video. In the case of Dove, it was "we intendance for you".

9) Huggies: Use Data to Create a Touching Story

Global diaper brand Huggies leveraged the ability of hugs to win moms emotionally.

At one time, Pampers had 100% of Canadian hospital contracts for supplying diapers. Huggies had to increase their market share, so in gild to defeat Pampers, they created and promoted a entrada named "No Babe Unhugged".

Their entrada was based on research that proved hugs assistance stabilize babies' vital signs, ward off illness and promote encephalon development. Their video features a mom and her newborn baby in the infirmary. Mom is seen hugging her baby along with this caption: "Hugs strengthen your babe's allowed system, they promote weight gain and better brain development."

It promoted the use of Huggies diapers in hospitals and pressed on the message that Huggies is the best souvenir a mother tin can give her baby.

The outcome of the campaign was amazing with sales of Huggies Newborn Diapers increasing past thirty%.

Key Takeaway: Brainwash people most your product by creating a story that features your product's USP (Unique Selling Signal). Use data and inquiry to support your suggestions and leverage the power of story and emotions to persuade people that your product is all-time.

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Last Thoughts

Brand storytelling is the central to leaving a lasting impression on your audition. A adept story can captivate a listener in ways that no facts or data ever could.

Reassess your current marketing strategy and inquire yourself where you lot could incorporate more stories into each campaign. If yous demand inspiration, simply plough to your team or customers for entertaining stories.

Or, if you want someone with years of experience telling stories, contact the Single Grain team today. We can help you tell your make's story in a more compelling manner and deliver the desired bulletin to your audience.

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Source: https://www.singlegrain.com/content-marketing-3/7-examples-of-storytelling-content-you-can-use-in-your-marketing-campaigns/

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