As Simon Sinek famously said “the inspired leaders and organizations all think, act, and communicate from the inside out. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
Today, there are endless options for nearly any service or product and it’s no longer enough to simply state product features and expect to gain a customer. The companies that succeed in impactful and creative social media marketing have unlocked the secret of storytelling, or explaining their why.
Storytelling fosters a connection deeper than the product or immediate need it is serving. It allows people to stand behind your mission and beliefs and become a customer for life. No, you don’t have to change everything you’ve been doing on social media already, but it’s definitely wise to begin telling your story at least a little bit. Here are three ways you can get started integrating your story into your social media marketing and creating customers for life.
- Talk About Your Beginnings
Everyone is in business to make a profit, but it’s unlikely that’s the exact or only reason you got started. If there was something that sparked you to begin your journey, a unique circumstance that people can relate to (hello, starting out in your garage), or even a problem you saw that needed to be addressed in your unique way, share it! Telling your story is all about creating a connection and sharing insight into your unique beginnings can inspire someone or make others feel like they aren’t alone.
- Share What Inspires You
Share the things that inspire you to keep going or the things that helped shape your product or businesses. Do you stand for making connections, maybe a certain aesthetic drives you, or social cause. Aside from the obvious impacts of jumping in on relevant conversations, sharing these types of broader insights can make your brand relatable and attainable to others.
- Highlight the Emotional Problem Your Solving
This one is often a challenge for brands and marketers that are focused on sales and product details, but everything is solving a specific problem. The problem that we’re trying to solve is often not as straightforward as it may seem and this is where masterful storytelling comes in. Take this example, you run a company that sells wooden spoons and cooking utensils. The product need may be that you need something to stir your food with while you’re cooking, but the emotional need is that you’re cooking to spend more quality time around the table with those you love. The storytelling and marketing can then move away from the product and share the story of family gatherings, love, and human connection. Push yourself to discover the emotional need you are addressing and you’ll be able to build a stronger bond with your followers.
Now that you know how to begin integrating your story into your social media, which one jumps out at you the most?
