Give your product heart, build a strong story

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

What makes some stories connect more with their audiences over others and how do you give your product heart?

For starters, seeing the story helps. People are 65% more likely to remember a piece of information when accompanied by a visual prompt, so whether your story is scribed, watched, presented on-stage or being shouted from the rooftops, remember these simple principles to give it emotional impact and don’t forget to keep it visual.

Make it simple

Most stories stick to a basic structure with only a handful of character types to choose from.

This applies to everything from corporate storytelling to education to creative writing. These include: The hero, the villain, the dispatcher who sends the hero off on their quest and the prize.

There are many different ways of using these characters in your own story. If you are selling bathroom cleaner for example, you could place your viewer as the hero with a grimy bathroom. Your product could be the magical object and the villain could be the nasty bacteria.

Even if you are not selling a physical product, you can use the same principle to promote any of your ideas – your service saves the day and your customer team are here to help.

Create and satisfy desire

It is important to convince your audience of your product or idea’s credentials - show that your product fulfills a need or desire that they have.

If you are working in an education environment, consider tantalizing your audience with half-told stories. Tell only half of an intriguing tale and work your way through the information that needs to be learnt, with the promise of learning the outcome at the end.

Alternatively, try working the information into a story itself. What if the hero were to progress each time he or she completed a module? Make achieving a new goal a rewarding process so your students will never be bored of a subject matter again.

Make it memorable

The stories we tell may stick to roughly the same guide but you still need to define what makes you special. Endless facts might seem the logical way to highlight success or transfer information, but stories are actually the perfect format for creating a lasting impression.

Lois Geller, a marketer and writer for Forbes, believes these four factors are key to a memorable advert:

  1. Disruptive and relevant visuals

  2. Strong brand identification

  3. A brilliant headline

  4. ‘Something else’

The ‘something else’ is a variable, but often it’s something that inspires curiosity. You want your viewer to ask ‘what’s going on here? This looks interesting’.

Be conversational

Imagine you’re telling your story to a single person, maybe a loved one. Present it as though you are speaking directly to them and only them. Conversations are two-way so ask lots of questions, even if you answer them yourself.

Make your story memorable by being selective about the information you include and make it visual through video! 60% of marketers are already using video, so make sure you’re in the majority and not playing catchup.

Choose visual imagery that resonates with people and the language you use should be positive and inspiring.

Respect your audience

There’s a big difference between telling a story and giving a sales pitch. If your story is about how you help customers, make sure you show how you do that. This doesn’t mean you should talk about how great you are; instead, show how happy your customers are after using your product.

Include your audience by starting your sentences with you and your instead of I or we.

These principles are the foundation of telling your story with heart. What stories have helped you and your audience connect? Are you using VideoScribe and whiteboard animation to tell yours?

For more great tips on how to write the perfect story to promote your next idea, download ‘The seven pillars of storytelling’ eBook today!

Or, get creating with VideoScribe today.

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