Storytelling for Your Business

Narrating your company’s journey effectively is an indispensable marketing tool that will allow you to connect with potential buyers while gaining an edge on other businesses. Sharing your stories is one of the most effective ways to build a strong relationship with your customers. Creating a more personal relationship will help your business, whether as a jeweler or as a retailer, distinguishing your business from the rest. Here are some tips to help develop your corporate, and personal, story.

Get Personal.

Personal stories are impactful.  It is no secret that people feel more comfortable with people, places, and things that they already have some type of relationship with. Give potential customers the opportunity to get to know your business by opening up to them through storytelling. By creating this connection, it will allow for potential buyers to make an easier purchasing decision. If they are torn between your product/service and that of another, remembering your personal story could be all that it takes for them to choose your business over someone else’s.

You may know what makes your company unique, but do your potential customers? Consider answering these thought-provoking questions in your storytelling: Why did you start your business? Did you work at the store as a kid and inherit it when your parents passed, and do you want to keep the family legacy going? Is this a second career that you have always dreamed of? Do you want to give back to a non-profit that supported you?

Spark Curiosity.

Great stories have a hook—there is intrigue. When developing your stories, it is important to keep in mind the structure in which you are telling them. Are you drawing someone in? Can they visualize your story? Utilizing elements of emotion, descriptive language and ambiguity will allow for readers to invest in your story. One of the easiest ways to keep your audience interested is to keep feeding them questions that they don’t know the answers to.  Don’t be afraid to talk about mistakes! Use mistakes as an opportunity to make a point of triumphs, and discuss how your business learned from them. Clue your reader into the obstacles you had to overcome so far. This will make them wonder how your business was able to overcome them. You may also want to “sneak peak” where you plan on taking the business in the future. This way they can wonder in real time how you will be able to accomplish your goals.

Demonstrate Value.

In your storytelling, demonstrate the value of your product or service. Whether it is the jewelry in your store or your own custom jewelry creations, tell your reader how it is different from others. Discuss the decision-making process it took to choose these specific pieces. Keep in mind that while some of your customers may carry a vast knowledge of gems, metals, etc., a percentage of your customers and potential buyers may not be experts. Educate them on why the specific materials chosen for your products or services make them of better value and quality.

Include Testimonials.

Whenever you can, include quotes from your customers that speak to your business. A personal reference is always the most powerful, and the jewelry industry is a small one. Someone may consider working with you because of who is referring to you. Testimonials help aid in building reputability, especially if you are an e-commerce business model. It is simple proof that displays that your product is “as advertised.” This will allow for your customers, and for first time buyers, to feel more confident in their decision-making when purchasing.

Mix Up Your Medium.

There are many ways to deliver a story: blog, social media, Facebook Live, being quoted in the news, in a newsletter etc. The age of the internet has made it simple and easy to tell a story in a variety of ways, and because of this, it is essential to understand the best place to share different types of story content. Each medium tends to have a primary type of post that is most engaging for its users. For example, Instagram primarily focuses on sharing pictures. Meaning, it would be an ineffective use of time to post a long video on that platform when its users plan on scrolling through pictures quickly. Instead, your business may want to post a long, full-length, “sit-down” video on Youtube, where its users are anticipating watching videos for a longer period of time. These two platforms alone give you the option to tell stories in different ways. It is important to let users know that they can find your content elsewhere on other platforms, which may be noted in your “bio” section. On Instagram you can post a picture of a new collection coming out soon, with a brief caption, and then mention that the full story behind the collection can be found on your business’ Youtube account.

Keep At It.

On average, it takes 5 to 7 touch points to close a sale. Therefore, you can’t stop telling your story. Keep recording them and sharing them. Consistency and authenticity are key, so it’s important to keep in mind the most effective way for your business to produce content. While it is very important to remain active on your platforms, be weary of being overly active. Overproducing content on your platforms can take up too much space on a potential buyer’s feed ,and often leads to poorer quality. This can cause annoyed customers and potential buyers to unfollow or unlike your company’s page. Avoid making content just for the sake of making content. Make content that you’re proud of, and that best resonates with what your business does.

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