3 Types of Stories to Use in a Marketing Funnel

There’s a lot of talk about storytelling in marketing. Some people say that stories are overhyped, that they’re a fad with no reasoning behind it. But the reality is opposite: stories are actually MORE powerful than we give them credit for. We take actions based on the stories we believe - about ourselves, about a company, about someone else. A good story is far more persuasive than a cold, dry fact. But stories aren’t just for the sake of telling stories. They serve specific uses in a marketing funnel. I’m going to share three specific types of stories you can use to help catch your prospect’s attention, help them trust you, and persuade them to become a customer.

But first, speaking of stories, here’s one for you…

Back in 2014, I was at a crux point in life. It was the end of the school year, I quit my job teaching math in an international program in Hangzhou, China, and I was looking for another way to work.

I’d been teaching in Asia for three years, after leaving graduate school in Ohio.

I had enough savings to live for six months, and I wanted to stay in China, but I didn’t want to get another job. I was bored with teaching. I was unhappy in the Chinese working environment, which is hierarchical and militaristic. So I started looking for other possible ways to work.

I Googled, “how to work online,” and tried many different things. I transcribed videos. I wrote product descriptions. I tutored.

It worked well enough to not have to get another job. After a few months I was making $20-30/hour, which gives you an upper middle class life in China.

But I wasn’t satisfied. I had an image - a story about myself - as bigger than what I was doing. Most of the work was repetitive. Robots will be doing it in a few years. It was enough to satisfy my needs, but I had a bigger picture of myself. So while I worked, I continued looking for something bigger, a better fit for my skills, background, aspirations, and the legacy I want to leave.

That’s a good illustration of how powerful stories are. Stories aren’t just fun things to tell around a fire. They guide our short-term and long-term decisions and actions. The stories we tell about ourselves define our place and actions in the world. And the stories you tell about your company and your product will define the relationships you build with your prospects/readers, and ultimately persuade them to become customers.

But simply telling a story for its own sake won’t be useful. There are three specific kinds of stories you can tell to connect with readers, build a relationship, and ultimate encourage them to take action:

1) The reader’s story

Start here. The prerequisite to persuasion is attention. Without attention, the prospect or reader will simply put down your piece and move to something else. A good way to capture their attention is to focus on what matters to them, what’s important to them. And a good way to do that is to tell their story: get in their shoes, and walk them through their experience.

2) Your story

‘Your story’ is almost always an origin story, or a story that builds trust and credibility with your audience. People learn how to tell stories about your company based on how you tell them yourself. Hence, word of mouth referrals live in ‘your story.’ So find a way to tell your story in a way that has benefits for the listener. This in turn will motivate them to remember your story, feel a connection with you, and ultimately share your story with other people.

3) The product story

Most people tell the product story first. But without telling the reader’s story, you won’t have their attention. And without telling your story, they won’t trust or believe what you’re saying. Once you’ve got their attention, trust, and credibility, it’s time to tell them about your product. Even here, the story isn’t about the product directly. Instead, it starts with understanding the reader’s pain and desires. Then it connects that pain to your solution, and focuses on the product’s core, the product’s strength, not on the product itself.

So apply these three stories, one after another. By doing so, you’ll catch your reader’s attention, you’ll gain their trust, build credibility, help them tell others about you, and then connect your product to their specific pain points or desires. You’ll build the anatomy for a fruitful, long-term relationship with your reader that lasts long beyond when they put down your piece.

About Scott McKinney: I’m a freelance copywriter specializing in B2B software. I write funnel-friendly marketing materials such as blog posts, white papers, and email series to attract wonderful long-term clients. Need a writer? Email me at [email protected]. I’m currently booking new clients for 2021.