Put the Power of Storytelling to Work: 5 Steps for Driving Engagement with Your Brand.

By: Courtney Love

As marketers and salespeople, we write our products’ stories every day. What we say should create connections with prospects, explain why our product matters and illustrate how it can help fulfill a need or solve a problem. 

Grabbing attention quickly and holding it is an art, which is why telling a story over a heavy sales pitch is always the right way to go. Readers begin to trust what you say, and you’ll quickly become their go-to resource for information and products.
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Still a little unsure about storytelling? Don’t worry – we’ve got five steps to help you:

1. Stop listing product features and stop comparing your products to others. While your product might be impressive, even superior to your competitors, simply calling out these features doesn’t tell prospective customers why they should pick YOUR product. Remember, you have to solve a problem they’re having, and just listing features isn’t enough.
2. Put your product story in context. Get right to the point. Quickly show prospects that you understand their pain points and know exactly what it will take for them to be successful.   Putting your product in that context shifts the conversation from a nice-to-have product to a must-have.
3. Understand why distributors choose your product. Your distributor customers are the best resource for getting to the heart of the value of your product and what makes it the right product for the job. How? Ask them. Find out why they chose your product and then weave it into a story that combines the practicality of what your product does with the compelling ways your product matters.
4. Tell your story often. Telling your story once is not enough. The Rule of Seven says that a prospective customer must hear the same story repeatedly to be heard. Use all of your distribution channels get your story out there. Don’t just post it on a blog and expect readers to flock to it. You need to let them know it’s there. Bring your audience to your story and then make it compelling enough for them to listen to it. 
5. Evaluate, understand and reiterate. While consistency is key, you need to make sure your story is resonating with your target audience. Measure the power of your story, and look for ways to improve. How can you measure? Obtain feedback, A/B test your subject lines and look at other metrics to keep a pulse on engagement. Your story should evolve based on direct and indirect feedback from your customers, but remember the story should always begin and end with your customers in mind. 

Crafting a good product story that resonates with your audience is not easy. Our advice? Take time to get to know the market, your customers and even your product better. What works for one sales channel for your product might not work for the promotional products industry. What works for a retail audience might not work for distributors and their customers. But one thing remains the same across all markets: Your story is important and needs to be shared. Continue to refine your story so that it becomes associated with your brand and becomes meaningful to you and relatable for your prospects.

If you need help crafting a story that connects, ASI Creative Labs can help.