Data is important, but at the end of the of the day, marketing doesn’t have to be a numbers game. Sales is always galvanised by the art of communication.
To establish or expand a long-term business or campaign, one must lay down a firm emotional infrastructure. One way of doing this is through narrative. Telling stories isn’t just for comedians or filmmakers: it’s literally the way we convey and assimilate useful information. Boring stories are discarded and forgotten. Below we’ve shown you two ways you can immediately grow your brand through this ancient practice.
1. Language Formal language has its strengths and is obviously the preferred means of dialogue in certain circles, but you should also be aware of the benefits of informal lingo on the web. Colloquial language, even slang, ripples through our longest-lasting tales, indicating how humans store data in our brains. Sites like Mashable and Buzzfeed have architected new forms of plain-speech specifically designed for trafficable content.
Word constructions such as “Did you know..?”, “X things that will shock you”, or “You will feel sad because of X”, seem simplistic, but they are in fact psychologically complex, creating a sense of empathy. It’s true that the method of ‘clickbait’ has its limits. However, as long as you combine it with the rest of our advice you should be fine.
2. Rules of Engagement Making a sale is not about stuffing your product down your customer’s throat. Salesmanship is nothing without cunning and engaged showmanship. You want to cultivate relationships, not contrive them for cheap, vapid goals. If you haven’t done so already, the first thing you’ll need to do is get onto social media. Start with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest. Once you’ve done that, create a pattern. Communicate your brand stories like any storyteller: with images and the gift of gab.
Trivia is a great way to gauge consumer interests. You can also set up a newsletter and begin to make weekly blog posts. That’s where things can really get fun. To appeal to your audience’s memory, always use images in your posts. You may also want to use catchphrases or quotes from colleagues or associates; anyone employed by your company. You can even quote famous people, as long as the message is in line with your brand image or vision. In a nutshell, what you want to show is simply this: “I’m human like you. This is what I’m doing. It’s awesome. I want to share it with you.”