What makes a good story? Storytelling for business 101

When you think of 'storytelling,' what comes to mind? Sentient gingerbread? A porridge thief? A thigh high boot-clad cat, perhaps? 

Stories stick with us; even the ones we heard as kids. But stories aren't just for children. Told well, they can be a powerful device for your brand. 

Our whizz Digital Marketing Manager, Meg Hodson, explains how brands can tell their stories through video. Since Meg is a Literature Wales grant recipient, we thought she'd be well-placed to talk about storytelling (our accountant was busy).

Meg, what makes a good story?

Every good story has a few characteristics in common. If your story has interesting characters and a narrative arc with friction, action and resolution, then you're onto a winner.

Sounds great... but how does that apply to brands?

When we talk about 'telling a brand's story,' what we really mean is creating an emotional connection between customers or service-users and the brand itself. That's hard to achieve with promotional messaging.

Let's use a restaurant as an example. You could tell prospective customers, “Try the food. It tastes good and it's cheaper than next door.”

Or you could talk about the provenance of your carefully selected ingredients, how your head chef's mum learned authentic cooking from her mum and why table four is reserved for the couple that visits every Friday.

I know which one I'd rather go to. So, what are some storytelling devices brands can use?

The principles of traditional storytelling also apply to marketing: it's just a condensed version. 

You have limited time to tell a brand's story. A short marketing video is usually between 30 seconds - 2 minutes. You can still create a narrative arc, but you've got to drop viewers into the action immediately. 

Characters should be introduced quickly, and by the end of the video, something should have changed. The viewer needs to be taken from point A to point B.

In a recent video for blue self storage and Cardiff Foodbank, we loaded an Easter egg into a bike basket and filmed its perilous journey to the food bank... from the egg's perspective. It told a story - it had a physical journey, sure, but it also brought you into the egg’s world for 1 minute (without going too deep).

A brand’s story should also convey a mood or emotion. It doesn't always need to be heavy, but it does need to pack a bit of a punch. The audience needs to have felt something by the end.

Noted. So what sort of stories should brands tell?

Because every brand is different, each one has a unique story to tell. It's all about finding the best way to tell it. 

Customers

Customer stories are a great place to start. If a brand's product or service has a unique benefit, then showing how a real-life customer uses it can help a viewer to relate. 

Challenges

When you demonstrate that you understand the challenges your customers face, that positions you as the right brand to provide the solution.

When we produced a suite of campaign videos for Welsh Women's Aid, we helped to convey the impacts of domestic abuse. They helped to demonstrate the charity's nuanced understanding of the issue through telling the stories of survivors, and gave a compelling reason to support the organisation.

Team

Another way to tell a compelling story is by introducing viewers to the people behind the brand. That's especially effective if a company wants to be more relatable to its customers and build brand loyalty.

A team video doesn't have to be the next Avatar. Simple videos that provide introductions to team members and workplace activities act as little snapshots into the brand. Even one short video every couple of months could transform a customer’s perception of a brand within a year.

Location (location, location)

For Prison History, a database of historical lock-ups for miscreants down the centuries, we went on a road trip with the project lead - Dr. Rosalind Crone - to visit & film several key lock-up locations.

It gave Rosalind the opportunity to show her vast knowledge and enthusiasm for her project - but also to tell stories of archaic ruins and the criminals of yore.

Take that, James Cameron. So, how should you wrap up a video?

You should always think about how you want your intended audience to feel after they've heard your brand’s story. 

Every video should have a clear call to action, so think about what you'd like a viewer to do after they've watched. Should they share the video? Make a donation? Buy something? Based on your answer, you can make changes to the way your brand's story is told.

Nice one, Meg!

Same old story? Want to try something new? We help brands tell stories that customers want to listen to. Get in touch for a chat.