5 Ways to Tell Your Story So People Actually Care

One of the most common challenges I hear from business leaders and marketers is this: “We have a hard time telling our story”. They have a desire to tell people who they are and why they’re important and yet they stumble when trying to explain this in a way that’s interesting or engaging. In essence, they have no idea how to tell their story — they are not interesting, so people are not interested. So, what’s the secret? How do you tell your story so people actually care? Here are 5 ways to start telling stories that people actually care about:

1. Share your “why”

In the words of leadership consultant, Simon Sinek, people don’t care about what you do, they care why you do it. Why do you do what you do? What is the deeper meaning of your work? Is it to manufacture seat belts? Or is it to save people’s lives? At StoryTeller, our "why" is to challenge the status quo of marketing. Dig deeper and tell people why you do what you do, not just what you do.

2. Find real stories

You want to know how to tell your story so people care? Then, try telling an actual story, rather than rattling off information and statistics about your product or service. People engage with storytelling because they connect their personal lives and experiences to the stories they hear. As a result, they comprehend and retain stories more than facts and figures.

3. Use pictures and video

We are visual creatures, and statistics show people are more likely to watch a video than read a blog or an article. Video and still images are used to provide visual descriptions, show people how to do something, or introduce the viewer to someone. Often, an overview video like this can be a powerful first step to sharing your story with your prospects and customers.

4. Maximize digital channels

Some businesses still rely heavily on print collateral to share information about their business with prospective customers. While print was once a tried and true component of any sound marketing strategy, it’s no longer enough. If you’d really like to tell your story to your target audience, it’s time to reallocate your resources and invest in your online properties. Between your website, YouTube, and social media channels, you have more outlets than ever to share your story. And, frankly, no one is going online to look for a brochure.

5. Less of you, more of them

Most businesses approach their marketing like a used car salesman. They spend a lot of time talking about the features and benefits of their products and services. They focus more on what they believe are salient aspects of their product and less time on the customer problems that they solve. Rather than listening carefully and answering questions proactively, many marketers are stuck in the past, making sure they are shouting their message at the consumer.

Of course, this is the easy stuff. The challenge for you as a marketer is determining how best to tell and share your stories in a way that provides valuable information to your prospective customers. How do you share your story? What techniques work best for you? Leave a comment and let us know what has been effective for you.