The Art of Storytelling: how to tell your brand story (Part 1/2)

You might think there’s not much to be said about a soft drinks store. But if you have a few minutes to take a look at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop video presentation, you just might have to drop by next time you’re in Los Angeles.

Details make the magic: glass bottles, the owner’s overflowing enthusiasm, his “perfect granddaddy” looks, unusual flavors (like cucumber cola). Everything blends together to tell the charming story of this unusual shop from around the corner, one that feels true and welcoming.

Small businesses are always looking for ways to compete with larger ones. Galco’s Soda Pop Stop is miles ahead of any local supermarket in its specific niche. He has so much more to offer than cheap soft drinks. His clients can enter a wonderful world of exotic and surprising flavors: his world.

That’s what brand storytelling is about. But how can you leverage that potential?

Brand storytelling creates value: it’s a subtle form of advertising that creates interest by appealing to your clients’ imagination. Unlike “hard sell” advertising – which shouts and begs for your attention – storytelling makes people want to listen, want to learn more.

Just like there are many great storytellers, from Bob Dylan to Stephen King, there are many ways of telling your brand story.

Anecdotes

Seth Godin is a master in the art of telling interesting anecdotes. Rather than jumping right into the matter at hand – often dense marketing concepts – he starts by telling his readers about something funny that happened while on vacation, about a New-York programmer who managed to own “Joel” as a keyword in Google searches or about the utter genius of The Grateful Dead.

Anecdotes make great icebreakers. They establish something people can relate to, and then become more receptive to your core message. Consider starting your next pitch with a funny story about your business or yourself, to ease into your presentation.

Behind the scenes

Medical dramas, courtroom dramas, sports movies, restaurant reality shows… We all fantasize about living other lives, seeing other things: that’s what makes these shows so popular. If you’re in a line of work that might be interesting to the general public, consider letting people take a peek behind the scenes. Feeding people’s curiosity with stories and pictures is a great way of establishing your brand in their minds.

Every now and then, Ubisoft hosts Open House days, where employees can invite friends and family over to their workplace. More than just about answering questions, these days are about creating new brand ambassadors. You can be sure that when parents go back to their home, they’re eager to tell their entourage about how great their son’s workplace is, how it’s such a huge company, how impressive everything is…

Come back next Wednesday for the rest...