Why Are Stories Important? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stories are important because they evoke emotion. And when people form an emotional connection with a brand, they are much more likely to become loyal, vocal and long-term customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s more, stories are adaptable. They can be leveraged to communicate any aspect of a brand\u2019s mission,\u00a0its\u00a0value proposition or unique selling points. Let\u2019s say, for example, that you want to engage with environmentally\u00a0conscious millennials by promoting your organization\u2019s commitment to sustainability and its history of opting for ethical supply chains. You can easily create a story<\/a> that conveys these values.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, if you want to spread information about your product\u2019s unique selling point and how it remedies unsolved problems in the market, you can also create a tailored, persuasive story geared to this end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Effective story-telling is based on a detailed understanding of your customers\u2019 needs and leverages proven techniques and strategies to build an authentic, meaningful response. For most companies,\u00a0when carried out well\u00a0this approach leads to greater publicity and higher conversions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While creativity is an essential ingredient of storytelling, virtually all effective stories, in the business sphere and beyond, are based on a set of core principles. It\u2019s important to cultivate these techniques in the departments that will be responsible for communicating with your target customers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phrases like narrative progression, character development, protagonists, antagonists, conflict, resolution and so on might seem like they belong in a textbook for a creative writing course. But they are also powerful tools for businesses. Before you begin to define exactly\u00a0what\u00a0<\/em>you\u2019re going to say, you need to ensure that your brand is equipped with the skills and knowledge to take care of the\u00a0how<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s helpful for businesses to understand the broad and often-vague term \u201cstorytelling\u201d in the more concrete context of their value proposition. A value proposition is a description of the main benefits that your product or service provides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of the stories that you tell will be concerned with communicating various aspects of your value proposition, so it\u2019s important that you\u2019re working from a solid foundation. What\u2019s more, stories that are geared towards different segments of your customer base will emphasize specific selling points and benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clearly outline all the reasons that a prospective customer has to purchase your product or service. And keep in mind that a value proposition is\u00a0not a unique selling point.\u00a0<\/em>Rather, it\u2019s the whole package of benefits that you provide.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with the origins of the products they buy.\u00a0Millennials, in particular,\u00a0want brands to be\u00a0socially responsible and take a stand on important issues<\/a>. By defining your mission, you can craft stories that embody and communicate it in the best possible way, thus connecting with customers that are an ideal fit for you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stories allow brands to align themselves with a specific mission and set of values. We can see the power of this type of brand storytelling in an array of areas. It\u2019s\u00a0increasingly\u00a0common, for example, for\u00a0supermarkets\u00a0to tell stories about the farmers responsible for growing the food on offer, and for\u00a0fashion brands\u00a0to emphasize the sustainable, ethical nature of their supply chains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have built the skills necessary to craft compelling stories, and have defined the content and messaging that you wish to communicate, you need to pick the specific channels you will use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many companies go awry at this stage. They try to leverage every single storytelling medium available, from social media to long-form video. The reality, however, is that most channels will not be a fit for your brand\u2019s unique value proposition, mission and target market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Base your choice of channels on data rather than speculation or a catch-all approach. Determine which platforms your target market use most often and focus on developing the skills required to create engaging and compelling stories on them. It is far better to master a small handful of mediums than spread your resources out over many different ones, and achieve only superficial results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are excited by the prospect of working with brands to create meaningful, captivating stories, a degree from EU Business School will provide you with all the skills and experience you need to thrive in your chosen field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look at our\u00a0Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Public Relations<\/a>\u00a0and our\u00a0MBA in Communication & Public Relations<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As human beings, we are hard-wired to connect emotionally with stories. Stories hold power to entertain, illuminate and deeply move people. In some cases, stories have even altered the course of history, shifting opinions and spurring action on a colossal scale. Consider the lasting influence on political discourse, for example, of George Orwell\u2019s book 1984. Or, moving closer to the present day, the global impact of An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary by Al Gore which alerted millions, if not billions, to the dangers of climate change. So what does all this have to do with brands, engagement and conversions? Businesses that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1771,702],"tags":[761,953,725,5545],"class_list":["post-29490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-trends","category-academic-programs","tag-brand","tag-branding","tag-communication","tag-storytelling","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n1. Understand the Fundamentals of Storytelling\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Define Your Value Proposition\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Clarify Your Mission and Values\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Pick Your Storytelling Channels\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Master the Art of Storytelling at EU Business School <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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