Science, the arts, and business all agree: humans like stories, and stories are effective at conveying memorable information. In fact, people remember information in story format 22 times better than just the facts alone, according to Jennifer Aaker of Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Each brand has a unique story. You might already implement brand storytelling, but have you considered storysharing?
Brand storytelling for businesses
What is storytelling for business? It's not merely telling the history of your company or the development of your product. Brand storytelling addresses the needs and wants of your audience. Your brand story taps into the feeling people get when they use your product, what they remember about your business, or how your organization changes the world—the brand experience.
Challenges of storytelling
However, brand storytelling only works if your story is authentic. A contrived story won't work; people know the difference.
Brand storysharing for businesses
Brand storysharing is based on the same premise as storytelling: that narratives capture audience interest. They differ in that storysharing focuses on the stories your audiences and customers are already telling.
Audience reaction is a crucial piece in an authentic story process, points out author Nick Hammond, writing on Econsultancy. Leveraging the testimonials your customers are sharing—on social media, on your website, in person—creates an authentic brand story that speaks to other customers.
Authentic brand storysharing
Known in marketing terms as “influencer marketing,” storysharing can also happen when someone in your audience with influence (due to celebrity or reliability) begins to share about your brand. In fact, influencer marketing is now the top way marketers distribute content, according to Mailmunch.
However, storysharing can lose credibility if your brand influencer has been recruited to speak on behalf of your company.
Whether you choose to create a narrative about your brand or share customer testimonials, story is a powerful tool to help increase trust in your brand.