Storytelling in Marketing: How to Write a Good Story

Direct sales can come across as pushy and irritate the audience. To make users want to buy the product, more effective methods need to be employed. For instance, you can sell through storytelling. Storytelling is not exclusive to writers; this technique is also used by bloggers, producers, and marketers. We explain how to sell through storytelling.

"Storytelling is the ability to tell stories. It's not a separate genre but a technique used to convey the value of a product or brand to the audience. Advertising texts are often concise, typically describing the key benefits of a product and including a call to action. The goal of such text is to quickly communicate the value of the product to the audience. The main problem with this format is its one-sidedness. Users feel that the author is pushing them to buy the product and may approach it with skepticism.
Of course, storytelling is one form of advertising text. What sets it apart from other formats is a less aggressive approach. The focus is not on selling the product as quickly as possible but on playing the long game. Share not only the advantages of the product but also its shortcomings, and tell stories about customers and employees. Also, try to avoid direct calls to action. Over time, with effective storytelling, users will want to buy from you. Furthermore, with systematic use, this approach will cultivate a loyal audience without significant investments."

The marketer's task is to persuade the user to buy the product. Through stories, the benefits of the product can be vividly demonstrated. Storytelling is used in blogs, articles, videos, and social media. This method helps to creatively showcase the product's benefits or its creation story, as well as share insights about the company and its employees. Engaging narratives captivate, evoke emotions, and create a sense of connection. Ultimately, the user buys the product and becomes imbued with its value.

You can use this technique if you want to:

In reality, it's not that difficult. You can write a good story in five steps:

Study your target audience. Think about who wants to hear your story and who needs to hear it. Conduct market research and create a profile of the person the text will be addressed to.

Formulate the core message. The story will be built around it. Before starting the text, decide what you will be talking about. Do you want to write about how a customer's life changed after buying the product? Perhaps you want to share the brand's story? Try to express the main idea in 10 words. If you can't, then the idea needs further refinement.

Determine the message. To write a story, you need to understand the feelings, thoughts, and emotions it will evoke. This will help structure the plot and emphasize key points. After reading, the user may feel inspired, moved, motivated, or amazed. The choice is entirely yours.

Specify the call to action. This step defines what the audience should do after engaging with the story. For instance, if the goal of storytelling is to gain new followers, the call to action might be a 'Share' button.

Choose the format. Storytelling is not just about text. Stories can be conveyed in numerous ways. Here are just a few of them:

After analyzing the target audience, settling on the concept and delivery, you can begin creating the story. Here are several rules that will help you craft high-quality storytelling:

Main character. A story must always have a central character, which can be not only a specific individual but also the company as a whole.

Structure. The universal framework: exposition - climax - resolution. It suits any storytelling.

Plot coherence. Don't forget about the narrative logic. The exposition, climax, and resolution are not separate parts of the story but a cohesive whole. It's good if the plot is not too cliché but also not overly complex.

Narrative style. It determines how the user will perceive the story: what emotions they will experience, what they will do after reading the text, and so on.

What sets a good story apart from a bad one? Skillful storytelling is built on these principles:

Brevity. One sentence, one idea; one text, one concept. The longer the story, the harder it is to remember.

Plot development. A common mistake is to confuse interviews, podcasts, or regular conversations with storytelling. They are not always the same. In storytelling, there must be a plot, while the mentioned genres may not have one.

Tense. In a story, you should narrate events that have already occurred. It's better to avoid storytelling in the present tense.

Emotionality. Facts are great, and you can indeed build a narrative around them. However, if you want to enhance the impact of storytelling, don't forget to incorporate triggers that can evoke emotions in the audience.

Richness of language. Don't be afraid to use expressive language. In storytelling, it will only work in your favor.

The user is a co-participant in the story. Find out what they would do in the hero's place or inquire if they've had a similar experience. This will generate more engagement for your storytelling.

Conviction. To tell a good story, you must truly believe in what you're selling. In this case, the reader will sense your sincerity, and trust in the product will grow.

Good storytelling can help gather an active audience around a product or company. Thanks to stories, users will find it easier to make purchases. The main difference between good storytelling and bad storytelling is its focus on the target audience, a well-developed idea, vivid characters, and a clear plot."