It’s your story, so tell it

Marketing and business strategy extraordinaire, Jay Baer, once said, “If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling. That’s a brochure.”… and it is so true!

Having worked in the industry for close to two decades, it still amazes me to see people think that marketing is synonymous with advertising. Yes, it is a component, but they are not the same. Advertising is a promotional activity, a one-way conversation aimed to bring attention to a product and/or service. Most often directed at a sole product and with an impersonalised message. Marketing on the other hand encompasses a whole lot more. The best definition out there today is that it’s the activity, institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging your value proposition. It’s the strategy you use to build your brand and/or business within your market. It’s the strategy you use to tell your story!

At ORA, we love communicating brand and business stories. Stories that inform, are engaging and resonate. And in today’s fast paced world, this is what consumers want. They want more.  They want to be able to connect with brands on a personal level. They want to feel noticed and included. They want trust, honesty and transparency. They want humanity and vulnerability – they want YOUR story (in all its guts and glory), not a carbon copy of your competitors.

Did I hear a gasp? Don’t freak out! Think of it all as a key differentiator; a narrative that helps shape, communicate and connect customers to your brand because it’s not just the product that they are looking at, it’s the story! And if you’re looking for some tips to help get those keys ‘a tapping, read on:

• Have a brand story. Create your origin story (the who, why, where), map out your customers, define your purpose and values and think about what personality your brand or business wants to convey.
• Have a purpose and make it clear. If you don’t believe it, your customers won’t either.
• Show authenticity. Be genuine and honest. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not.
• Show emotion. If you’re happy, scream it from the rooftops! If you’re feeling a little down, it’s ok to show this as well – letting people in on little flaws or failures isn’t a bad thing.
• Be consistent and show up.
• Keep it simple. Just like the marketing practice “KISS”, don’t over complicate things. Our attention spans are getting shorter (thanks lockdowns), so snackable content works.
• Gain additional storytellers by empowering your staff through training. You can even encourage your customers to share their experiences.

I hope that has provided you with a ‘lil bit of inspiration to start telling your story. However, if you have stumbled across that dreaded writer’s block and need a a fab team to partner with, drop us a note at:  hello@oneroofagency.com.au