Stories have always been at the heart of marketing and they always will be. People LOVE stories. They REMEMBER stories. They SHARE stories.
But, the way we tell stories is constantly evolving. Let’s take a look. In my childhood we went from commercial jingles we all knew, notes passed between classes and lengthy landline phone calls to dial-up internet and AIM chats and “Did you see FRIENDS last night?”.
Fun fact: My childhood nickname was Beef, inspired by the 1984 Wendy’s commercial. Here’s a grainy photo of me in my custom “Here’s the Beef” t-shirt. The personal branding started early.
These days we pass viral videos and share memes instead of passing notes in class. We still ask, “Did you see…” but instead of the latest episode of our favorite show, it’s the latest viral video.
Now we remember viral videos the way we remembered Doublemint Gum commercials. I know you remember it. I’ll wait while you sing it.
The FEELING we get from stories is the same. The MEDIUM is different.
One of my favorite quotes about why stories work so well is “Stories don’t just make us ‘like’ each other, they make us LIKE each other—they make us similar.” People want to feel included, part of the story and like they are in the know.
So…how can you harness the power of story in your marketing in 2025?
- Humanize your brand by sharing YOUR personal experiences, challenges and thoughts.
- Involve your audience in your story by asking them for their opinion.
- Share your clients’ and customers’ stories so your audience can SEE themselves in your story.
- Focus on universal feelings that your audience can connect with.
- Create an ongoing series that brings them along for the ride and makes them feel invested in the story.
I know it can feel hard to know what stories to tell. What will resonate? What will connect and convert? Do they really want to hear that? Is my story interesting enough?
I can help! Let’s figure out how to tell your story together.
Leave a Reply