By Teresa López
In recent years, it has become fashionable, in the world of communication, to use the word storytelling, which comes from the English words story which means history and telling which means to tell and can be defined as a narrative that conveys a message in an immersive way, capturing the consumer's attention.
The technique of telling stories is a very old practice, what has changed is the way of telling them. In the beginning, it was probably people around the campfire telling stories; then with the development of writing, ink and paper, stories could be transmitted in books, in theatrical plays, and now there are a variety of equipment to receive stories: television, computer, cell phone, ipad, among others. Regardless of the medium through which it has been done, storytelling has always had the same result, listening to stories of normal people does good, because they shake the emotions of those who read, see or hear them.
Nowadays, most brands and companies publish their products and services on social networks, and one way to stand out from their competitors is by transmitting a message that appeals to the consumer's emotions. The objective of the storytelling is to reach a larger audience, visits to web pages and videos, since they cause an impact on the people who receive these stories, which creates, as far as possible, an emotional bond between the consumer and the brand. According to do Pico (2021), captivating stories turn out to be one of the most effective ways to achieve the engagement of the consumer.
Cabrera Mir (2019) defines storytelling as a “Technique considered an art that consists of generating a communicative discourse (...) that allows the sender to create a character and environment to tell a story addressed to a receiver, enhance a conceptualization of the brand and provoke an emotional response”. In other words, social networks make it possible to connect with users, who are also protagonists. Storytelling, in digital spaces, can be used as a sales resource, and at the same time, establish relationships by building trust.
To develop a good story it is essential to use creative writing. Pieró (2018) sustains that “Creating, inventing and showing novel topics are some of its objectives. Whenever you write looking for a point of originality and trying to capture a certain effect in a writing, you will be carrying out this type of writing”.
According to an article published by Especial Directivos (2021), the 5 keys for a good strategy through the storytelling are:
- Empathy: It is necessary to create a connection with the customer, who shares values with the company or brand to be promoted.
- Trust: The client must feel that the story is real and genuine, otherwise it will not be successful.
- Emotion: This is one of the key points of the storytelling, The goal is to appeal to the emotions of the customer or the person who receives the message, this is what will motivate the person to choose that product or service over others.
- Understanding: It is essential for a campaign that the message is clearly understood and that it does not lend itself to confusion.
- The call to action: Finally, you must know how to convey what is expected from the audience when telling that specific story.
There are several types of campaigns that can be carried out through storytelling. For example, there are companies that base their campaign on the history of their foundation, attributing a sentimental value to the effort they made at the beginning, and the story of how they grew. There are also others that aim at the emotional link, and one of the most famous cases of this type of campaign, with storytelling, is Coca-Cola, who transmit stories of happy family moments, instead of transmitting what the beverage itself offers. There are also brands like GoPro that seek to convey stories of adventure, using storytelling to create that feeling of freedom, inspiring people to live in the moment and enjoy life.
Storytelling can also be used to share the positive aspects of the brand or company, for example: good environmental practices, or social support, such as the TOMS shoe brand, which for every pair of shoes sold, donates a pair to someone in need. They use storytelling to tell this story, touching the feelings of the consumer, who at the time of purchase, will know that they will have donated a pair of shoes, somewhere in the world, to a child who is barefoot.
Apple, on the other hand, is a company that uses storytelling to create suspense, that's why their new releases are so well received, people want to be the first to see, of course, to have the new cell phone, the new ipad or the new watch.
In addition to brands, there are studies that show that storytelling has a lot of potential in tourism marketing to promote travel destinations. A study conducted by Camprubí and Planas in Spain (2020) showed that a successful method to generate tourism in the city of Girona is to tell its myths and legends that captivate tourists. So with other cities, where not only should their tourist attractions be told to increase the number of visitors, but also their traditional stories should be told.
Without going so far away, nowadays, don't you just love to read the stories of the athletes in the Tokyo Olympics, of the weightlifter Neisy Dajamones and the cyclist Richard Carapaz, to learn how they started, how they made an effort, how they grew, how they have won Olympic medals. They are clear examples of storytelling that generate feelings.
Religions have been founded on stories, in all fields there are stories that generate empathy. Obama, former president of the USA, in his speeches talked about his childhood, Steve Jobs, creator of a powerful company, in his speech at Stanford also talked about his childhood, both were poor. J. K Rowling, author of Harry Potter, also has her magical story, she is currently the richest woman in the UK.
Now, dear reader, have you thought about what story to tell?
References:
5 keys to sell our project or personal brand through storytelling (February 22, 2021). Special Management, 1795, 94-96. Retrieved from https://www.observatoriorh.com/comunicacion-y-branding/cinco-claves-para-vender-nuestro-proyecto-o-marca-personal-a-traves-del-storytelling.html
Cabrera Mir, J. (2019). The narrative effect: storytelling as a marketing strategy in social networks.. Retrieved July 20, 2021, from Universitat Politécnica de Valencia: http://hdl.handle.net/10251/129121.
Camprubí, R., & PLanas, c. (2020). El Storytelling en La Marca De Destinos Turísticos: El Caso De Girona. Cuadernos de Turismo, 46, https://doi.org/10.6018/turismo.451841. 46, 269-619. Retrieved July 10, 2021, from https://doi.org/10.6018/turismo.451841
Do Pico, M. (March 2021). The importance of stoytelling in Marketing. Retrieved July 29, 2021, from MD Marketing Digital: https://www.mdmarketingdigital.com/blog/importancia-storytelling-en-marketing/
Pieró, R. (2018). Storytelling . Retrieved July 2021, from economipedia.com: https://economipedia.com/definiciones/narracion-de-historias.html
