The Art of Storytelling - Winning People's Hearts and Minds

“People don't have 30 seconds to be interrupted,
but they always have 30 minutes to hear a great story”

Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years. Storytelling is a medium for sharing and interpreting experiences through words and images. It is an ancient art and has been used in more or less every culture around the world as a means of entertainment and education, as well as instilling cultural and moral values. Ancient cultures painted symbols from stories on cave walls to help the storyteller to remember the story; others used music and dance for expression. With the advent of writing, stories were recorded and shared over wide regions of the world.

Oral stories continue to be committed to memory and passed from generation to generation. We only have to go back to our childhood to understand the powerful effect that storytelling has on our heart and minds. Think about that favourite story that you wanted to hear over and over again.

Human-to-human connections are the heart and soul of any business. Storytelling is an old concept and a powerful technique for building emotional relationships. In today’s overwhelming information society, the art of story telling has never been more important. People are tired of being talked to, they want to be engaged and valued.

Contemporary storytelling is encouraged by new forms of media that design inventive ways for people to record, express and consume stories. Interactive storytelling through games and other digital platforms is growing significantly. This trend echoes a deeply rooted need for all humans to be entertained. When we are listening to a captivating story, the response patterns in our brains become markedly similar to those of the storyteller – it can also be expressed as “getting on the same wave length”.

In branding, the storytelling aspect is strong. A terrific brand story can build an emotional connection with your audiences, drive desired action, enforce people to change behaviour and last but not least, increase your revenue. Compelling stories have the power to engage every audience - your customers, your employees and your investors.

Storytelling can enable your brand to stand out of the crowd and capture your audience’s attention. And you don't have to be a large, successful company to tell a terrific story. Inspirational stories can empower modest ventures with tremendous impact.

How to create an inspirational brand story

• Listen to your customers, genuinely understand them and the role your brand play in their life
• Build a personal story with a compelling narrative.
• Use conversational, emotional and engaging messages.
• Be authentic and honest, utilize your heritage and purpose
• Keep the story short and make it memorable.
• Tailor your story to fit different mediums.

The most successful companies tell their customers compelling stories and the best stories win. Patagonia, Lego, Virgin Atlantic, TOMS Shoes, Innocent, Ferrari and Missoni are some examples of international brands with engaging and genuine brand stories that facilitate exceptional customer loyalty and brand engagement.

What is their secret? They are deeply emotional brands with passionate founders, a captivating heritage, strong values and a clear purpose that has provided an excellent foundation for their storytelling.

As the kingpin of marketing, Seth Godin puts it; “Living and breathing an authentic story is the best way to survive in a conversation-rich world”.

So what is YOUR brand story?

Rosie Kropp is the CEO and Partner of Lavandel, an international boutique brand consultancy. She is a recognized branding expert with 20 years of experience in developing and managing market leading brands for top-tier companies across a wide range of industries and markets. Rosie is a frequent lecturer, facilitator and writer on the subjects of branding, marketing and communication. For more articles like this, visit www.lavandel.com/blog