Storytelling in Marketing and branding.
Storytelling in Marketing and branding.
Hello there!
Today you will read about how important storytelling is for marketing and branding. Then, you will learn why storytelling is so effective as well as some neuroscience facts behind it. Next, you will be able to acquire simple and effective techniques for improving your brand and marketing storytelling. Finally, I will provide links to useful resources and examples, where you can learn more about the fascinating world of storytelling as a marketing approach.
Why is storytelling so important for marketing and branding?
In her Forbes article, Kimberly A. Whitler summarized the importance of storytelling in three points.
First, in a world overloaded with information, storytelling lets marketers engage consumers through a different delivery. Second, stories transmit knowledge and meaning. Third, storytelling enables marketers to develop a deeper connection with the audience because people love stories.
People are overwhelmed with information. By providing them with not only unique valuable content but also with a different approach; storytelling makes sure your message gets heard.
Once storytelling has provided us with access to our audience, it also allows us to transmit them valuable information. On top of this, storytelling allows us to develop a deeper connection with our audience, opening more opportunities for us to create more relevant stories that are capable of carrying our marketing messages in an accepted valuable way.
Why is storytelling so effective?
In the Reporter Magazine, Melissa Mendoza (2015), states; “It is in our nature to tell stories and inform others of our life events. Storytelling, whether factual or fictional, is an intrinsic human characteristic”.
The reason why storytelling is so effective is that our brains are wired to pay attention to good stories. We have evolved to learn and be entertained with stories.
A brief overview of the history of storytelling
Storytelling has been with us since the very beginnings. In his book, “The Irresistible Fairy Tale”, Jack Zipes (2012) states that, “humans have been telling stories since we had the ability to speak, and potentially by forms of sign language even before that”.
Representations of storytelling dating back to 36,000 years ago and can be found in the Chauvet cave in France. Another example of represented stories is the use of hieroglyphs in ancient Egypt, which dates back about 5,000 years. But as Jack Zipes alludes, chances are we were storytelling even before we were able to speak.
When I think of the beginnings of storytelling, I like to visualize an African tribe reunited around a bonfire.
Let’s imagine for a moment that the sun is down, while most individuals of this African tribe are already sitting by the fire, silently eating their last meal of the day. Almost everyone is there, including the kids, teenagers, and several rookie hunters. As the group enjoys the comfort provided by the fire, one of the tribal elders initiates a story that begins like this…
“You know, today reminds me of the long stormy day that I lost my brother when hunting a furious buffalo that we had cornered against the big rocks by the river. This big black buffalo and its herd gave us the biggest hunting lesson that I have ever had, and today, I am about to share it with you all. The unfolding of this hunt was one I never imagined. Everything began when my brother decided to...”
It’s important to think about a scenario like this African tribe thousands of years ago because it allows us to understand why storytelling is so ingrained in our brains. The example above of storytelling, carries an important message through the story arc and its main character, that everyone, including kids, teenagers, and adults of the tribe, can relate to. The beginning of this story prepares the listeners for a thrilling story with an unexpected turn of events.
This experienced storyteller elder caught his audience’s attention and created a sense of empathy with the main character; his brother. Now, he has his tribe’s undivided attention, and he can transmit the valuable lessons of this life experience, so that those who listen, are prepared in case of future similar circumstances.
See, storytelling was important then as it is now because it not only entertains but it also educates, while transporting us to the moment in which the story is happening, to the point that we can feel and relate to its characters.
What’s the neuroscience behind Storytelling?
Let’s first recognize the existence of bad stories. Yes, we all know there are many stories that we don’t even care about. Perhaps because we don’t feel related to them, or maybe they are simply too flat that we can’t help but become bored; not interested.
On the other hand, there are great stories. These stories are so good that we want more of it. When we are absorbing these good stories, our external world disappears and we enter the world or the moment in which the story is being told. Even after the story has been told, our brain stays on it. Great stories are capable of making us wonder, think, reflect, and act.
In this article, I focus on good storytelling, not bad stories. The following are two neuroscience reasons why we feel so engaged with good storytelling.
The why of Storytelling engagement- Reason one.
The first reason why marketers should use good storytelling is attention. Yes. This is really important because, in our world, where information noise is everywhere, attention is a scarce key factor for marketing success.
According to the article, MSH/ACTH 4-10 Influences Behavioral and Physiological Measures of Attention by Sandman CA, George J, McCanne TR, et al. (1977), “ACTH is the hormone of attention and distress”.
ACTH stands for Adrenocorticotropic hormone and it is released when we are exposed to good stories.
In his article, “Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative”, Paul J. Zak (2015) states that “The change in ACTH correlated with the amount of attention people paid to the story. This finding makes sense: If we do not attend to a story, it will not pull us into its narrative arc. Attention is a scarce neural resource because it is metabolically costly to a brain that needs to conserve resources. If a story does not sustain our attention, then the brain will look for something else more interesting to do”.
In other words, when our brains find an interesting story, it releases hormones like ACTH, which has been found to increase our attention levels by giving priority to what we believe has value for us (entertainment, education, social bonding, etc).
The why of Storytelling engagement- Reason two.
The second reason why we should use storytelling is empathy and reciprocation (prosocial behavior).
In his article, Neuroscientific narrative consulting: how to engage our patients, Peter Andrew Churn (2018), says, “On a neurochemical level, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is strongly associated with a feeling of empathy… Oxytocin is the hormone of generosity, bonding, and trust — it makes us feel human, it makes us care, and, as we will see later, it also helps us agree”.
Additionally, In the article, “Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative”, Paul J. Zak (2015) wrote, “Our previous study pointed to oxytocin as the biological instrument that puts people in thrall to a story”.
Oxytocin is paramount in storytelling. The fact that storytelling increases our audience’s empathy means that their Oxytocin levels are higher. Oxytocin is also known to be important in trust, and as you may know, when your audience trusts you, they open up and allow you to deliver your message. On top of that, most people would buy your products or services only if they trust you and your brand.
Additionally, customers are more likely to provide recommendations and referrals when they trust you. This is why I believe storytelling is powerful and necessary to connect with our audiences.
Zak’s lab also found that there is a causal role of oxytocin on post-narrative prosocial behavior. In this same study, “Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative”, Paul J. Zak (2015) writes, “Indeed, the brain seeks to conserve energy by using default pathways—a kind of “laziness.” He states that even when the narrative is over the effects linger.
In other words, when we tell great stories, not only the attention increases, but it also does our audience’s empathy, trust, and pro-action levels.
The power of storytelling from the neuroscience viewpoint
I believe It’s important to notice that good storytelling is rewarded with the brain releasing ACTH for higher attention, plus Oxytocin for empathy and reciprocation, meaning that if we manage to create good stories, we will be able to have people paying attention to us, understanding our message, trusting us and therefore people more inclined to act in pro of the story (call it, buying, donating, sharing, commenting, etc).
The following are key paragraphs retrieved from the article Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative, written by Paul J. Zak (2015). Here, he expresses how oxytocin and ACTH impact us when we become aware of a good story.
We also found that the change in oxytocin was associated with concern for the characters in the story, replicating our earlier findings. If you pay attention to the story and become emotionally engaged with the story’s characters, then it is as if you have been transported into the story’s world. This is why your palms sweat when James Bond dodges bullets. And why you stifle a sniffle when Bambi’s mother dies.
Narratives that cause us to pay attention and also involve us emotionally are the stories that move us to action. This is what a good documentary film does. More generally, stories with a dramatic arc fit the requirements for high-impact narratives. This structure sustains attention by building suspense while at the same time providing a vehicle for character development. The climax of the story keeps us on the edge of our neural seats until the tension is relieved at the finish.
It seems that once we are attentive and emotionally engaged, our brains go into a mimic mode and mirror the behaviors that the characters in the story are doing, or might do. As social creatures, we are biased toward engaging with others, and effective stories motivate us to help others.
To the brain, good stories are good stories, whether first-person or third-person, on topics happy or sad, as long as they get us to care about their characters.
The bolded text lines are sections of the study that I believe worth highlighting. If you are curious about learning more in-depth about the articles above mention, please follow the links provided.
Simple and effective techniques for improving your brand storytelling.
When I say brand, I could be referring to the brand of a company or a person. Please feel free to adapt these techniques as you need, since both companies and individuals will be benefited from applying these techniques.
The Deep Theory
First I want to mention de Deep Theory, a storytelling technique by Lisa Nichols. The Deep Theory is better visualized as a V shape, as follows:
In her videos, Lisa Nichols (2014) explains that first, you want to quickly showcase your level of authority or expertise. The achievements, knowledge, and qualification to be where you are today. This is the top right of your V shape.
The Top Left
You don’t want to spend much time here, because you don’t always know how much time available you have to deliver your story. In fact, frequently the information about you is delivered by interviewers, introductory videos, and other ways. If this is the case, you can basically say, “that intro was all about me now, but it wasn’t always like this”, and then you proceed to head to the bottom; the deep located down at the V shape.
The Bottom
You get to the bottom by being vulnerable and authentic. You get to the bottom by showing your audience a dark moment in your life and being genuine and eloquent about it.
A dark moment should be relevant to the message or point of your story. When you are sharing your low, don’t mention it too fast, she says. Instead, Lisa Nichols recommends taking time to illustrate this moment in your life.
The Top Right
Finally, Lisa explains that the upper right of your Deep Theory is about the lessons you learned from your struggles. Here you mention your mission in life. Here is where you talk about how you now want to help, to provide value or to give back through your products or services.
By using the Deep theory, you are showing your human side by becoming more vulnerable and so connecting emotionally with your audience in a way that they can understand your why.
As we learned, previously in this article, sharing this difficult situation that is understandable and relatable to your audience gets their attention and allows you to become more familiar to them, so they can trust you.
For a better understanding of this technique, visit Motivating the masses.
The Golden Circle.
In his TED talk, Simon Sinek (2009) explains the Golden Circle. This technique is all about the way great leaders and organizations think, act, and communicate. The Golden Circle is about a model for inspiring people to act.
When we tell stories we have to start with why. Remember, it is not about you, It’s about your audience, each one of them.
The golden circle looks like this:
When storytelling, keep in mind the Golden Circle, and never forget your WHY.
In his presentation, Simon talks about the early adopters, and how they acquire products or services before anyone else, not because of what it is, or how it is produced or delivered, but because why that product or service exists in the first place.
Here’s an example provided by Sinek (2009) during his TEDtalk:
If Apple were like most other companies, a marketing message from them would move from the “outside-in” to The Golden Circle. It would start with some statement of what the company does or makes, followed by how they think they are different or better than the competition, followed by some call to action. With that, the company would expect some behavior in return, in this case, a purchase. A marketing message from Apple, if they were like everyone else, might sound like this: 'We make great computers. They’re beautifully designed, simple to use and user-friendly. Wanna buy one?'
Sinek (2009) contrasts this example by laying out how Apple actually markets themselves (or at least, how they used to):
Let’s look at that Apple example again and rewrite the example in the order Apple actually communicates. This time, the example starts with why: 'Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user-friendly. And we happen to make great computers. Wanna buy one?'
I highly suggest learning more about the Golden Circle and Simon Sinek by visiting his website.
The One Liner
In Donald Miller’s words, The One-Liner is one sentence that explains what you do and what you offer in such a way that catches the most people’s attention.
The One-Liner is a three-part sentence.
First, Identify your customer’s problem.
Donald Miller (2017), makes it clear that it is not your problem but your customer’s problem. He says “When you open with a problem of your customer, it’s like a hook, and now they are interested”.
For this first point, Miller (2017) recommends being specific, making sure it’s a pain point, and getting it down to a soundbite.
Second, explain your plan to help them.
In this second part, mention what you do that solves your customer’s problem. This is your plan to get them out of their problem.
For this second part, Miller (2017) suggests to make it feel like a new idea, make it understandable and brief.
Third, describe a successful ending to their story.
Here, you show them a moment where, after using your guidance (products, services, etc) they will no longer have a problem. This is a happy ending.
For the third part, Miller (2017) encourages to make it “the controlling idea” of your business, something they really want, but again, in a few words.
Once you have your One-Liner, memorize it, and repeat it. Teach it to your team and use it in as much marketing collateral as possible.
I encourage you to learn more about the One-Liner and the StoryBrand Framework (a popular marketing messaging tool among business leaders that allows organizations to clarify their message).
Final thoughts on storytelling techniques
There are many techniques for improving your communication and your storytelling. Storytelling is not only important, but it is also necessary.
When you have your story, don’t tell it, show it. Lisa Nichols (2011), encourage us to show your story in such a way that your audience can experience (feel, hear, see, etc) as if they are part of it.
Resources to learn more about storytelling
To start exploring storytelling, I am sharing 3 options for TED talks, books, and websites that I personally like.
Top 3 Storytelling Ted Talks
David JP Phillips: The magical science of storytelling.
Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story.
Will Storr: The Science of Storytelling
Top 3 Storytelling Books
Unleash the Power of Storytelling: Win Hearts, Change Minds, Get Results by Rob Biesenbach.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller.
Storytelling, la escritura mágica: Técnicas para ordenar las ideas, escribir con facilidad y hacer que te lean. By Carlos Salas.
Top 3 websites to learn about storytelling.
The Science of People (https://www.scienceofpeople.com/how-to-tell-a-story/)
Motivating the masses (https://www.motivatingthemasses.com/)
Simon Sinek (https://simonsinek.com/)
As a bonus, check this Virgin post, where you will find examples of good storytelling in advertising. My favorite is Google Reunion.
Wrapping up
If you are not using the principles of good storytelling in your branding and digital marketing, you should start now. Storytelling is essential if you are planning on getting people’s attention, connecting with your potential customers, and having people trust your message. In other words, if you want people to buy or acquire your products and services, you must use storytelling.
Luckily for all of us, there is sufficient information about storytelling out there. From academic research articles to TED talks to books.
New studies and information are continually coming up, giving us a deeper understanding of the importance of storytelling. I encourage you to explore more about storytelling, starting with the resources above mentioned but not being limited by them. Again, storytelling is important for every person, and it’s relevant for many situations; a toast, a public speech, a casual meeting with your close friends, a cocktail party, or when explaining what your company does.
This article was meant to introduce the topic of storytelling and its importance in digital marketing and branding. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please, let me know down below. Every opinion on how to improve the content of this blog will allow me to make adjustments on the go, to provide quality information for you, my dear readers.
If you would like to read my previous post about “Sales and Marketing: What is the difference?” click here.
Sincerely,
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