We are
compelled and moved by a story well told. Whether verbally, in a
book or poem, at the theater or in the movies it is the story, more
than the experience, which elicits emotion within us. The ebb and
flow of story causes us to laugh or cry, love or hate, embrace or
reject. Story motivates us. Story changes us.
The art of
story is as old as humankind. Cave drawings, primeval legends,
ancient literature, paintings of the masters and Shakespeare – all
tell a powerful story.
I believe that
story is perhaps the most under-utilized tool of marketing. The
goal of story and of a marketing campaign is the same – to provoke a
response in the targeted audience. So then, to combine story and
marketing can be truly powerful.
Some years back
I regularly received a catalog from a company called DAK. Each
edition of this catalog contained articles from the DAK owner who
had personally evaluated scores of products and had written stories
about how each had entertained him, made him more productive, or
improved his professionalism. It is the only catalog I’ve ever
gotten that I looked forward to receiving. It was the stories, more
than the cutting-edge products, which created my anticipation.
The J. Peterman
Company, spoofed as Elaine Benes’s employer in the popular 90s TV
Series Seinfeld, uses story beautifully to sell clothing,
furniture and accessories with an alluring flare for the romantic
and the unusual. They visualize for their customers the ultimate
experience and ambiance of using their products, not just purchasing
them. As a result, these stories create demand for nearly anything
they choose to sell – including Elaine’s Urban Sombrero.
J
There is a
story in every product or service; we miss a huge opportunity if we
fail to tell it.
You can create these stories yourself in a
manner similar to The J. Peterman Company, or you can choose other
imaginative means for the telling.
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Allowing your satisfied customers to tell their story in the
form of a testimonial is a time-proven way to use story to
communicate something more about your product than just what you
proclaim on your own.
-
Giving voice to your employees to tell the story of your
products is another method that adds a sense of vulnerability
and credibility to the story itself. Customers want to believe
that the companies from whom they buy are of high integrity.
And there is no simpler test of the integrity of a company than
to listen to the stories told by their employees.
- You can
add a human dose of reality by telling the stories of product or
service situations gone bad – and how you worked creatively to
remedy the situation.
No matter how
you use story to communicate about your product, it is important
that you visualize the end experience your product facilitates,
rather than just focusing on the raw specs of the product itself.
-
To
sell a pen, tell the story of a love letter that pen might
produce
-
To
sell a lawn service, tell the story of a joyous social event
held on that lawn
-
To
sell a common tool, tell the story of a happy child or spouse
who benefited from something built or repaired with it
- To sell a
car repair, let the story visualize an exciting journey that the
car can now embark upon
One final note; when using story as a tool to
communicate with your customer, leave room in the story for the
customer to insert themselves into it, using their own
imaginations. If they cannot enter into the story themselves, you
may have entertained them, but you have not captivated them.
Because, as Italian author Italo Calvino said, “It is not the
voice that commands the story: it is the ear.”
Paraclete
Consulting specializes in helping companies evaluate existing products and develop new
products. Hit "Contact Us" to get a FREE consultation.
