Have you ever wondered what skyrockets certain companies into the stratosphere and not others?
Let’s focus on the big dogs, like Apple or Virgin.
What factors contributed to their meteoric success?
Luck, of course. A healthy dose of luck never harmed anyone’s chances.
But another factor to consider would be their single-minded, rock-solid marketing strategies.
These two brands are prime examples of establishing long-term loyalty. Loyalty that surpasses technological change. Loyalty that turns someone into an Apple customer for life, who scoffs at the idea of buying their tech from somewhere else.
‘We would be nothing without our story.’ – Richard Branson
How did they manage it?
In short, they told stories.
Richard Branson describes entrepreneurs as ‘professional storytellers.’ He says that Virgin’s story is what attracts people to their products and services, and also to work for them.
Business storytelling, or story-first marketing, gives your customer a compelling reason to work with you or buy from you. It humanises you.
And we all know, people buy from people. Moreover, people remain loyal to people they trust.
I’ve compiled my favourite quotes that connect business and storytelling:
1. ‘A great salesperson knows how to tell a story in which the product is the hero.’ – Peter Guber, Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment.
2. ‘And do you know what is the most-often missing ingredient in a sales message? It’s the sales message that doesn’t tell an interesting story. Storytelling . . . good storytelling . . . is a vital component of a marketing campaign.’ – Gary Halbert, marketing guru.
3. ‘Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make but about the stories you tell.’ – Seth Godin, author, entrepreneur.
4. ‘People think in stories, not statistics, and marketers need to be master storytellers.’ – Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post.
5. ‘Successful organisations and companies share the stage with their best storytellers. Brands are a collection of narratives. Unleash your best stories.’ – Carmine Gallo, author and keynote speaker.
6. ‘You can’t sell anything if you can’t tell anything.’ – Beth Comstock, business executive.
7. ‘If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling. It’s a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger.’ – Jay Baer, content marketing strategist and keynote speaker.
8. ‘The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.’ – Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple.
9. ‘Storytelling is by far the most underrated skill when it comes to business.’ – Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur.
10. ‘Logic makes you think. Emotion makes you act.’ – Alan Weiss, author and public speaker.
If the idea of storytelling in marketing is new to you, it could be the one approach that breathes life back into your brand.
For more ideas, or to discuss a story-based rebrand, contact me at jess@22group.co.uk
Jess Cawdron
Copywriting & Marketing
0161 672 7822
