The Secret Weapon in Any Communications Mix

Now I use my secret weapon! – Daffy Duck, in ‘Duck Dodgers in the 24?th Century’ (1953)?

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Any secret weapon remains secret for as long as someone else learns how to replicate it. In business and in everyday life, there is one such weapon that cannot be replicated—your organisation's stories, your very own stories.

It's like winemaking. Anyone with enough money can buy the most modern vinification equipment, order luxurious oak barrels, hire a famous oenologist. But no money can replicate the exact conditions of the vineyard’s soil, exposure, and microclimate. That is the sine qua non condition and the true story behind each great wine.

More Emotion, More Conversions?

Human beings have been storytellers since the dawn of time. In everyday life, storytelling is organic; it does not need a reason, it just happens. In business, though, storytelling is a bit more complicated because its purpose is more immediate, and the results ought to be measurable. The whole idea is that it should help marketing communication teams not only generate leads but also—perhaps more importantly—increase conversions.

Increasing conversions requires that organisations give customers a reason to be and remain loyal to the company's brand. Customers won't even consider making a conversion unless they feel an emotional connection to whatever the company is offering them.

That is why organisations need storytelling. Customers don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. They want to know who you are? Where do you come from? What do you want?

Start with Your Mission?

A common mistake is to start a business storytelling program by highlighting customers' pain points right off the bat and what the company can do to alleviate them. But how can a company convince customers of anything, when they are unclear about what the organisation stands for?

Organisations must communicate their origins and goals with the simplicity of Lao Tzu and the expansiveness of Walt Whitman. Companies—and individuals—who do not provide a plausible explanation of their good intentions early end up losing their customers' confidence. Before you tell anyone what's in it for them, you have to tell them what's in it for you, i.e., what is your mission.

Show Your Pain?

Yes, you need to know your customers' pain points. And your customers want to know your own pain points, past and present. What brought you here? What obstacles did you overcome? How has your perspective changed?

This sort of narrative demonstrates vulnerability and thus humanises your brand. People can relate to your journey because they have one of their own, and there's a much higher chance they become loyal and make more conversions over time if both journeys show factual similarities or aspirations not yet fulfilled.?

Evoke Images and Sensations?

People read or listen in the hope of feeling something. Even when the intent is to learn or understand, the text or image that stays in their mind is that which elicits an emotion, any emotion. (Naturally, you'd want that emotion to be one that promotes your brand.)

Facts and figures are important, but the audience will keep coming back if they are interested in something that is beyond straight rational thought. Intrigue, ebbs and flow, inner tension, external conflict, bold imagery, human faces—these and other narrative devices work as storytelling triggers that encourage the audience to use their imagination.

Leave a Breadcrumb Trail?

Stories should not be used in isolation. Advertising can evoke emotions with the right ad copy and eventually lead to more conversions, but only a consistent narrative displayed across all marketing communication initiatives can become a true secret weapon that cannot be replicated.

The master narrative should be the same across all channels, with diverse stories backing it up in ads, paid media, owned media, employee advocacy, blogs, collateral, marketing playbooks, the whole shebang. Consistency is crucial.

The Multiplier Effect of Storytelling?

We need to be clear about something. Examples are not stories. It may sound obvious (or maybe not?), but it is important to make the distinction because in business, organisations are too prone to provide examples of their value proposition. Any other company can come up with a better (and genuine) example for a similar product or service. But a well-crafted master narrative backed by a collection of stories cannot be replicated. This comes with many benefits.

1. Build competitive advantage. In the long run, stories are what set a company apart from its peers. Even in perfectly competitive markets, where price is all that matters for fully homogeneous products, stories can provide a differentiating factor.
2. Cultivate customer loyalty. Not much to be added here. More loyalty means more conversions and, everything else being equal, more profits.
3. ?Anticipate customers' needs. Customers that feel emotionally attracted to a brand are far more likely to share, or at least hint at, what they expect and need from the brand and the market in general. Customers share such insights in discussion forums, blogs, social media, etc.
4. Strengthen content strategy. Companies that get serious about storytelling use it as a pillar of their content strategy—for marketing, investor relations, employer branding, public relations. A master narrative and carefully interlinked stories function like a rocket booster for the content strategy.
5. Foster employee engagement and buy-in. Employees deserve to know why they are working hard for the business. Mind you, telling employees that the company expects them to 'fit in' might not be the best choice of words. Employees want to belong. They want to believe, they need faith in that something new or at least different is possible.

Do Not Leave the Narrative Unattended?

Crafting a master narrative is not a project with a beginning and an end. It is a continuous effort, which is too important to be left in the hands of executive management only. However, the responsibility of safeguarding the company's storyline belongs in the C-suite. When customers perceive a consistent mismatch between the brand narrative and the image they hold about the brand, they will probably leave.

Therefore, company leaders must adapt the organisation's narrative to new circumstances. Take the pandemic, for example. Or armed conflicts dislocating supply chains and destroying livelihoods. Issuing a press release or publishing videos to shed light on the company's response might be useful and welcomed, but won't be sufficient—because they represent examples (see above). Adapting the master narrative without compromising the organisation’s core values will keep the multiplier effect of the organisation's stories.

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If you think I can help you and your team become better storytellers, contact me. I'd love to hear your story.