How can you create an opening that hooks your audience in product narratives?

Saw something recently that really hit home: “Your customer should be the hero of the story, not your brand.” This comes from Building a Story Brand, by Donald Miller. Consider that when building a hook, and it may change your focus.

In my experience, one of the best strategies for a hook is to use an interesting data point. This can be in reference to either a problem the audience is facing, or the potential impact of the solution you are proposing. Numbers often provide a better understanding of the situation, and when combined with visuals, pique an audience’s interest much more than words alone.

Knowing consumer insights is crucial when developing your product hook strategy. Understanding your audience is the key to crafting a compelling introduction. If you're targeting new customers, leverage their need/desire to create a powerful hook and showcase value proposition. If your goal is to engage with existing customers, focus on highlighting the specific benefits/ features/news of your product.

A hook in a product narrative is a compelling sentence or phrase that grabs your audience's attention and sparks their interest. It can take various forms, such as a question, statistic, quote, story, problem, or benefit. The purpose of a hook is to make your audience want to continue reading or listening to your narrative. It should be relevant to your product, specific, surprising, and aligned with the tone and purpose of your narrative.

Providing context in a product narrative is crucial because it helps your audience understand the background, significance, and relevance of your product or idea. It sets the stage for what follows by introducing key information, such as the problem or opportunity being addressed, your role or expertise, data or insights supporting your narrative, and the current and desired state of your product. Context establishes credibility, builds rapport, and helps your audience see the bigger picture, making them more receptive to your message.

One effective strategy is to start with a "What if" scenario that highlights a common problem or pain point your product addresses.

Previewing your main points in a product narrative is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it provides your audience with a roadmap, letting them know what to expect in the narrative. This helps maintain their interest and attention. Secondly, it helps you structure your narrative effectively, ensuring a clear flow of ideas and information. You can use previews to outline features, benefits, key takeaways, or the structure of your narrative. Ultimately, it keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your narrative more easily.

Starting with a really compelling user story that creates empathy for the problem or painting a picture of the outcome and the user's life in the future because of the product have also worked well for me!

In addition to the key elements mentioned, there are a few more considerations when crafting the opening of a product narrative: **Audience: Understand your target audience and tailor your opening to their interests, needs, and preferences. Tone and Style: Ensure that your opening matches the overall tone and style of your narrative. For example, a formal pitch deck opening may differ from a blog post or a user story. Length: Keep your opening concise and to the point. Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information at the beginning. Clarity: Make sure your opening is clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience.