The Power of Storytelling: 3 Things to Remember
Picture this – you’re with your friend and they’re telling you about what happened earlier in the day. First off, they’re your friend so you already care enough to listen. Secondly, they change the tone and volume of their voice when appropriate to deliver the story in an enthusiastic way. You’re hanging on every word because you’re curious to learn how the story ends.
Now, what if the story was told without all the added emotion? Peel back the inflection, the enthusiasm. All you hear are words. Are you really taking in the message? Will you remember it after you’ve heard it? Will you think about it later in the day or share it with another friend? Probably not.
This is why the way you tell your story is crucial. You don’t want people to hear you; you want them to listen. So, what do you need to do? What do you need to remember when you’re telling your story through social media?
1. Emotion! Emotion! Emotion!
You’ve heard this before. I’m sure you’re saying to yourself, “tell me something I don’t know.” People have said “make a connection, evoke emotion.” Okay, but how? Let’s use an example: Blue Star Donuts. They kick butt when it comes to content that resonates. Yes, they have an advantage – they sell donuts to the public. I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t love donuts? But how do they separate themselves from the competition and get so many people to stay tuned? When they post about their donuts, their captions speak to what we’re all thinking; we can relate. That’s how connections are made – we find something in someone else that either reminds us of ourselves or inspires us. In this case, people love donuts and Blue Star Donuts pulls at those strings in a way in which we relate – we want donuts gosh dangit!
2. Be Memorable
Check out Blue Star Donuts’ Instagram account; you’ll see what I’m talking about. The images they post make you look twice. The exuberant colors and artistic style of photos help you remember they do donuts – that’s right – they do donuts well. But it’s not just snapping photos of donuts that does the trick. These images are memorable because they showcase their uniqueness through their imagery and that’s why you remember them. They do donuts differently: matcha green tea donuts, grapefruit and smoked paprika donuts, and my personal favorite, orange and olive oil glazed donuts. Blue Star Donuts specialize in artisan donuts with a unique brioche dough recipe, and you can clearly tell Blue Star Donuts is different from all the rest.
3. Stick to Your Brand Voice
Emotion and memorable content mean nothing if you don’t have an identity – a way for the public to remember who you are. When you see their posts, two things are evident: They sell donuts and they’re a part of a community. Blue Star Donuts showcases what they sell, but as a part of their local community, whether it be with fellow donut lovers or the Blue Star staff. There is bond between the brand and all those involved with bringing their brand to life. You can tell they love what they do, and they want you to be a part of it. Whatever you do, stay consistent; find your voice and stick to it.
Storytelling is the key to a brand’s future and its success. If you want people to remember you, to tell their friends, to think about you as time passes, you have to evoke emotion and tell a worthy story. We live in a world where the power lies within a connection, where people want to choose their connections and not have it forced upon them. Therefore, content is king. You hear it all the time like a broken record, but when you aren’t made of money and you need to promote your brand, organic content is the solution. Content that resonates with people and connects to them emotionally will an everlasting impact and so will you.
All images/Instagram posts sourced from Blue Star Donuts.