Storytelling for engineered word-of-mouth

Eighth in the article series on “Engineered Word of mouth.”

What is storytelling?

Does it need to be long?

How to make it memorable?

How do we integrate it in communication?

Now what?

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STORIES SELL.

Stories get embellished as they move from person to person.

What we call in India: “adding more masala” to each narration.

The core elements, though, remain. The values. The spark. The Zing makes the story to be retold in various settings and occasions.

What’s your story?

Is it worth telling? Sharing?

Again and Again?

Storytelling is the core of Engineered word of mouth.

After all, we need to plant the seed with the right audience.?

When we run through the motions and forget to focus on the story core, this leads to the classic saying/joke:?

Operation success.

Patient dead!

So, here I am, back with some examples to talk about storytelling as a key, "the" key tool for engineered word of mouth, for your brand and business.

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What is this storytelling?

It is how the story is structured - to appeal to the emotional and psychological impact. Based on the audience and the values/words you want to be associated with, the story could be one of humour, of pathos, of triggering a specific emotion—perhaps even a tear or two.

It must appeal to that specific micro audience. Must be relatable. And as Jay Baer says, it must be remarkable.

And then you need to spread it around. Find out the micro-influencers who will lend an ear. When it appeals to them, they will become the spokesperson for that story and, in a way, for your brand.

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The story of AMUL.

A cooperative society formed with the backing of one man and his team! Empowering the lives of thousands of dairy farmers, offering quality milk and affordable prices for the masses - spearheading the milk revolution of and for India.?

A story often told and repeated across. And emulated by other cooperative societies.

The advertisements of Amul cheese, though, capture the moment's zeitgeist. When the ads give a humorous take on what is happening around us today, it brings a smile to us. We talk about it and share it. Subconsciously, the story sticks, and we look forward to more such creative ads. And more of that Amul cheese every morning!

• Emotional connect.
• Relevant rip-off of what’s going on now in the news.
• Remarkable in the way it tickles the funny bone, with a toon and a tagline.
• Simple characters.
• A clear message!

I cannot but share it with my circle of friends and acquaintances.

And speak about it in social gatherings.

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The Amul heart in the middle is the essence of a story core.

And the way it is shared and spread across is the screenplay aspect.

What is your story core?

How do you intend on saying it?

Why should it connect with your (micro) audience?

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Actionable Step:?Think about what makes your business special. Create a story that talks about your journey, why you started your business, and what you hope to achieve. This story will be the basis for all your communication.

DOES IT NEED TO BE LONG?

A boy meets a girl.

They fight.

Several battles later, they fall in love.

Their parents disagree.

They fight.

And unite.

And love happily ever after.

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That’s the story core. Done.

Done and dusted across cultures and media.?

It's a done-to-death story core.?

Yet, it keeps returning, sometimes to packed cinemas.

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The story core is central.

How we weave the narrative flow, add characters, situations, conflict, emotional push and pulls, humour, pathos, a protagonist’s journey…. That is the screenplay. We can keep it long. Or short.

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REPURPOSABLE?

Does the story allow for repurposing?

Keeping it short, medium, large or super long like a tele-serial?

How can your story vary in length, depending on the platform and context, and provide examples of short and long-form storytelling?

What is your audience in the mood for?

• BuzzFeed:?On social media, BuzzFeed creates concise, attention-grabbing headlines to lure readers into longer articles on their website. They understand their audience and adapt their storytelling to the platform.
• Airbnb:?Airbnb's website provides detailed stories about unique and memorable travel experiences, allowing users to immerse themselves in longer narratives. Their social media takes the shorter route: highlighting short stories of guests' stays and hosts' experiences.
• Zomato:?Zomato shares quick, engaging food stories and reviews on social media, keeping the audience entertained and informed. Longer, in-depth stories are published on their blog, exploring topics like food culture and restaurant trends.

Actionable Step: Consider where you're telling your story. Use short and snappy stories for social media and longer ones for your website or blog. Match the story length to where it's going.

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MAKING IT MEMORABLE

Duh! Isn’t that the whole purpose of EWOM?

Yet we forget. Many a time!

A bit like we get into a room searching for something. Once we reach that room, we forget what we came there for!

So, in our quest to get to the story core and figure out a ZING element, an aha moment, we forget to check if it would appear to our target micro audience.

So, what do we do now?

I presume we already know the micro audience and their needs, wants, and aspirations.?

EMOTION COMMOTION:

If it doesn’t mess with the brain, it goes down the drain.

Immediately.

The story and the way it is told must create, must evoke a reaction inside the mind of the recipient.

A pause to ponder, closing eyes and traveling to that faraway location, a slow smile on the lips, moist eyes on the verge of flooding…..

Nose crinkling up at that familiar smell coming from grandma’s kitchen.

Ears perking up awaiting that familiar doorbell to ring….

Emotions must be evoked.

Visual and a sensory appeal - across all senses if possible.

And that urgent itch to share this emotion with someone they relate to. A part of your extended micro audience as well.

You ought to create that positive commotion.

Pick that pillar.

Stick to the key elements.

And repeat, repeat, repeat.

Reinforce the key messages and sensory commotions - to make your story, your brand, your business - MEMORABLE.?

• Airtel:?Airtel's advertisements often tell stories that evoke emotions. Their campaigns center around reuniting loved ones, emphasizing their network's connectivity and emotional significance.
• Lifebuoy:?Lifebuoy tells stories of social responsibility, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene. Their narratives are often backed by vivid visuals and data, educating consumers and making them aware of health issues.?

Actionable Step: Tell stories that make people feel something. Share real-life experiences or situations that show what your business is all about. Add pictures or vivid details to make the story more interesting.

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INTEGRATION

You cannot mean different things to different people.

If so, it will lead to dissonance.

Your story core cannot change as per the season.

It will be the same. Ought to be. Resist the temptation to keep tweaking the core, once established.

What is important, then, is how the story is communicated across different channels and media.

Story channel selection:?

These must be channels where your micro audience is active in.

You want to reach me, it is SMS or text messaging.

It is Facebook for my wife.

Instagram for my 20-year old.

Discord for my 17-year old.

A telephone call or Whatsapp for my 70+ mom??

So, do I first understand the channel? Do I know how it works?

And who uses it, when and how?

Once I have that figured, I will use a mix of channels and messaging formats to get my story across.

LANGUAGE plays a key role. One of the ads that gets my goad is a campaign called “Ho Jay Chai Biskoot”.

I saw half-page print ads across South Indian newspapers. In a coffee-drinking country where there is no practice of dunking biscuits in tea before sipping it at 4PM every day. A practice common in parts of north India, but not so in major parts of South India.

Yet, lazy communication strategists decided that the same Hindi messaging will be used for Pan-Indian campaigns.

It clearly did not resonate with me. Even if I am not the target of their ad campaign, I am significantly cross at the laziness of such an approach (and this is a common trend that continues till date!).?

CUSTOMIZE for the audience. In a language they understand. In a manner that syncs with their lifestyle and practices!

INTEGRATE.

Select the right channels.

Be consistent in your messaging for your micro audience.

CHECK if the story is seeding positively.

Tweak the channel or the messaging as applicable - to encourage engagement, interaction and sharing.?

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IndiaHikes:? A hiking company that promotes a connection with nature, to keep it clean and leave it behind better than we found it.

I have been trekking with them since 2017 and I find this messaging consistent across all their channels.

This includes each trekker carrying a green hip pouch to collect all the garbage left behind by people who traversed the route before. This garbage was brought back to the base camp, segregated and put to good use.

IndiaHikes also promotes and facilitates self-hikes to explore nature, to borrow or rent gear rather than buy and a continuous quest to go frugal and recycle.

I am a fan. I believe their story. I lived it. And I am talking about it.

There is an emotional connect as I recommend them to any trekker.

I encourage my colleagues to take a week off to recharge with nature.

I am, in that case, one of the messengers of IndiaHikes sharing their story core and messaging, in my own words!

Actionable Step:?Plan when and where you'll share your stories - and WHO will share it forward. Keep your message the same across all your stories, whether it's on your website, social media, or in-person. Talk to your customers in the comments and messages.

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COHESION

You say who you are and what you are for.

This has to be consistent across everything you say or do.

From the CEO to the foot soldier, to the partners and stakeholders. To the customers and the prospects.

The story and all the characters must be cohesive and in sync.

The personal story of the company, the founder, or an essential character should be interwoven into the story.

Remember, we are talking about engineered word of mouth.

Actionable Step:?Get your employees involved in telling stories too. Encourage them to share their experiences related to your business. This will help them feel more connected to the brand, and it'll make your brand more trustworthy.

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ADAPTABLE:??

Your stories will evolve with time

As should you

Loving-in will give way

To living-in :)

The messaging has to change

Lest it falls by the wayside

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Well, you don’t wear the same underwear

You used to, when you were five

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Why should your story length be the same?

Formats, channels and stretchability

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The characters who speak

Say, share and spread

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All need to know

Who you are

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What you stand for

And why

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The core is the seed

All else is screenplay

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Prose, poetry or punchline

I will use what I can

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As I know what I want

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For you

To talk

About me

And my brand

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And keep doing so

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If you would like to know more, feel free to reach out to me at

[email protected]

Check out my previous articles on this topic.

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I would love to hear about your business, examples, and work on word of mouth.

And if you want to play a game and understand Engineered Word of Mouth, comment EWOM below!