To be human is to be a storyteller.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a professional communicator or you can’t string a sentence together. We are all susceptible to the power of a great story.
Great storytellers can achieve reach beyond measure.
Think of the vastly different stories told by Malala Yousafzai, Donald Trump, J. K. Rowling or Adam Goodes.
The point is not whether you agree with their perspectives or even like their stories. The point is they have told stories with impact. Storytelling matters.
The best way to connect your audience with your brand is through a compelling story.
You might have heard of the ‘Significant Objects Experiment’ in which objects bought for a pittance in thrift shops were resold for thousands when talented writers were enlisted to invent stories about each object.
This example may lack the key ingredient of authenticity which brands need to build trust and advocacy. But it shows the power of a great narrative.
So how do you tell your own brand story? Try out these five story-telling frameworks to create a high impact connection with your product or service.
1. The Hero’s Journey
This is one of the most common storytelling frameworks used everywhere from Hollywood block blusters to ads for soft drinks and nappies. It is characterised by a circular narrative, where a hero begins a quest, claims a victory, and returns home transformed. It is a highly versatile framework but can be particularly powerful for purpose-led brands and those dabbling in conscious consumerism.
2. The Big Idea
This is how Steve Jobs introduced the world to the iPhone. You never knew you needed one – or an iPad for that matter – until it appeared and changed the way we live. This framework focuses on a central idea, backed up with evidence, and it aims to inspire and educate. It is great for brands pitching a product or service that is bold, unique or transformative in some way.
3. The PAS Framework
Seasoned copywriters will be familiar with the Problem-Agitate-Solution (PAS) framework. You start by outlining the problem facing consumers. You cut deeper, empathising with your audience and even catastrophising the problem they face. Then – sigh of relief – you offer a solution to their problem. A variation of this framework, PASO, goes one step further to also share the Outcome post Solution.
4. Before and After Method
Want your next video to go viral? This is a great method for social media shorts. Everyone who’s anyone in the anti-aging, fat-blasting or ab-toning game uses this method shamelessly – and probably with a heavy dose of AI. But they do it because it works. Start with a powerful visual of a before and after result. Then enter your brand, showing how your product or service led to this result, and finish with a call to action showing how your audience can easily achieve these results too.
5. Ranking
This is another good method for social media and short videos. But it can be equally effective for longer form content marketing like blogs. Start with an introduction, rank the items or ideas relevant to your topic and conclude with a statement linking this to your brand. This is a common format for LinkedIn and blog content allowing professional services firms to showcase their expertise or thought leadership on a topic. You may even recognise this format as you’re reading this article!
Got a story to tell? We’d love to help you make a meaningful connection with your audience. Get in touch with us for a chat about how we could help you bring your story to life.
