Stories are all around us.
From the morning news and gossip websites, to watercooler moments in the office and tales told in class by children about their weekend – our lives are centred around stories.
Sad ones, happy ones, inspiring ones, challenging ones, rewarding ones, harrowing ones and even downright terrible ones.
Stories make us, break us and shape us.
Given that stories are very much the fabric of life, we believe that if brands want to connect with audiences on a deeper, more meaningful, long term level, then they need to be telling their stories to the world.
As Simon Sinek famously said, "People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it", and this is so very true.
Apple’s story is not the intricate workings of the gadgets so many of us use every day, it’s the story of Steve Jobs. It’s about how one man took an idea and made it not only work but created something world changing and iconic, despite the challenges he faced along the way.
The Mercedes’s F1 story isn’t found under the bonnet of the million pound cars they make, but rather inside the mind of the man driving those cars. During each race millions tune in and watch Lewis Hamilton, a boy with an ambition, lap after lap, race after race making his dreams come true.
The reality is, a story isn’t a clever tagline or a catchy theme tune (remember Moulinex?) it’s the foundation of a brand and a strategy for growth. It’s thinking about more than the way products look and services work and striving to create meaningful bonds with customers that will last today, tomorrow and for a long time to come.
CLICKON’s Creative Director, Benjamin Potter, commented, “If you want to drive awareness, increase sales and retain customers, you need to know your story and you need to be willing to share it. Everyone has a story and what we see with our clients is that by being open and transparent, they aren’t letting go of their power, they are using their vulnerability to let their consumers in. No one likes to be lied to, therefore talking about the realities of life can encourage people to look at you in a new way, challenge their perceptions of you and even get them to buy into who you are and what you are selling.”
Richard Wilson, CEO of CLICKON, added, “If brands create, and tell stories with only self-promotion in mind, people will see through the smoke screens and move on. You need to sit down and look at what your story really is and how that will make people feel. Life is hard and complex for many right now and people don’t want to be fobbed off or tricked, they want to be valued and appreciated. If you are honest and true when you tell your story, you will make better impression and create a more immersive experience and that is what can catch potential customers and retain existing ones.”
While it can evolve over time, and chapters can be added, your initial story needs to reflect the truth about who you are, what you do and what you stand for, and if you do that, it is more likely that your tribe will find you, stick with you and want to know more.
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