What could everybody use a whole lot of right now? When things look grim (and let’s face it, they’ve rarely looked much grimmer) one thing that people have always really appreciated is a good story.
In ancient times, sitting around the campfire, with sabertooth tigers roaring in the distance, it was the storyteller that made people feel good, that took their minds off scarier things.
Let your marketing be your storyteller.
People are scared right now; let your marketing story reassure them. They want to feel good and they want to feel connected. Reach out to them with stories they can relate to, stories that resonate with them and what they’re going through. Tell them stories with a meaning that will inspire them to get through this. The cool thing is, you can craft the story so that what you offer just happens to be the hero.
Show empathy.
Don’t confuse this with being ‘salesy’. Quite the opposite. You are looking to connect, not sell. Your storytelling should be subtle, engaging and relevant. It will start with their mindset, then walk them through some twists and turns. All good stories have a beginning, middle and end, and at the end you can come back to how your offering can make things better (assuming that’s genuine).
Get help.
Of course, crafting relevant, motivating stories is not necessarily easy for everyone. That’s where the experts out there can help. And right now, they might be more available than ever, and their costs might be lower than they have been for a while. Reach out to an expert to get help telling your marketing story. Chances are it will have a happy ending for you, your brand and your sales.
David McGrane has 20+ years of international brand and marketing experience. He has worked with brands large and small, famous and soon-to-be-so. Projects for Netflix, Kelly Services, AAA and Charles Schwab required adept storytelling. You can reach him via LinkedIn.