How To Use Content Marketing Storytelling In Many Different Formats And Platforms Will Grow Your Customer Base
Content marketing storytelling can be used to grow your prospect and customer base by using these powerful marketing strategies.
Hi, I am Trish Davies and you will have noticed that I emphasise the use of storytelling extensively. Your story is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your ideal prospect and customer. The reason I say this is because it establishes your authority and authenticity which is what individuals are looking for.
Most of the time when people go online, they are looking for information for a solution, product or service. What they are usually met with is a lot of techno babble which leaves them in a more confused state.
There is a lot of content out there that is focused on the features of products and lacks a lot of meaning and substance. What people need to know is what is in it for them, and how will it benefit them. This is a strategy that you can utilize with your story which makes content marketing storytelling so powerful.
Tell Stories And Don’t Babble On
As a business owner you will have a range of products and services that you offer. They could be what you own or other peoples for which you receive a commission in the event of a sale. Whichever option is applicable to you there should be a common factor why you have them within your business model.
This is because at some point they have benefited you and provided a solution to a problem that you had. There is nothing more powerful than being a product of the product because it gives you that authority status. Basically, you can back what you are saying because it forms part of your story.
Your task then is to nail that message firmly on its head for your audience to relate to. This message is what people will connect with when they go online rather than a load of statistics from a textbook. Your story is a true to life textbook that is based on providing value and benefits to the reader. This is what will help you gain more prospects and customers to your business.
I will come onto how you can craft your story into marketing strategies shortly so hang around for that. For now, I want to concentrate on the ways that you can use content marketing storytelling in your business.
Content Marketing Storytelling – How And Where You Can Tell Your Story
The best place to start is your website or blog. This is your home on the internet and your central hub for people to check in with you. This is hands down your most powerful platform because it is something that you own 100%. You control every piece of content that you publish whether that is a blog post or page.
My own website is the perfect example because you will see at the top of the website a navigation bar. Contained within this has many pages relating to myself and my business.
If you look at every page you will find elements of my story to establish my position as an authority in my field. By doing this I hopefully make visitors feel at ease because they can see there is a real person behind the website. Human nature puts up barriers because we need to feel reassured. If you visit a website and there is no transparency I, you and most people will walk away. If you adopt this practice as a business owner, you will never get that person back.
So, my website tells people everything they want to know about myself, my business and how I can help them! Also, you will notice that there is a blog facility on which this article sits. Your blog is a fluid publishing platform and is where most of your visitors will first find your website. This is because the content is based on what information people are searching for in the search engines.
Search engines love blogs because they are brand new content that their own visitors can consume. So, you can publish blogs everyday to connect with prospects and customers. Each of your posts can be a story within your complete story so that readers can relate to. When they relate to what you are saying they will become a fan for life. Also, they are likely to recommend you to people they know who will then visit your website.
Email Marketing Done Correctly
Email marketing gets a lot of stick because it has become the virtual version of physical junk mail. Through the 1980’s and 1990’s physical junk mail became a real problem. It seemed every morning you had a small section of the Amazon rain forest come through your letter box.
The digital age came into force in the 2000’s and it wasn’t long before it followed suit with lots of spam emails. You have probably experienced both scenarios and your reaction is this same. You will bin the paper or delete the email into your trash folder.
The probability is that you will communicate with your prospects and customers through email so you must be different. Your emails must catch the eye and give a sense of curiosity. That headline must be the start of a story you want to tell and hook the person enough to open the email.
Once you have them hooked you can provide value through your story within the content. Give that person a reason to get to know you, like and trust you. Don’t spam them or make false declarations through hype. Give them some real meat on the bone that they can get their teeth into. You will find that your emails are the ones that are opened, and your competitors find themselves in the trash!
Content Marketing Storytelling Through Maximum Engagement
I want to cover two platforms that you can use that will be the most engaging for your audience. The first is through video marketing and there are many ways that you can use this. Set up your own YouTube channel which is a virtual blog. It is as powerful as your website but there is one caveat because you don’t own it. Google does because they own YouTube, so you are bound by their terms and conditions.
With that said it is incredibly powerful to engage with your audience. Each of your videos can be a story of parts of your business or your life in general. I use YouTube on a large scale so head over to my channel after you have finished this post by clicking here It is a great example of how I use stories to give updates to my subscribers.
I also love doing Facebook Live videos which I can set up and connect to everyone who has liked my business page The beauty of this is that it is real time so I can communicate with my fans there and then.
You can also create videos as part of your lead generation strategy. I have a video series for a mastermind program that helps you establish your story. Then you can take your story and incorporate it into all your marketing strategies. Especially the ones that I have been talking about today. The video on the registration page is a story behind why I set up the program. So, go over to the link and register for the video training series to help you create your own story.
The second way to create engagement with your audience is through Podcasts. Think of Podcasts as your own radio station and there are lots of people who prefer to listen than watch.
So, you can create Podcast episodes using the storytelling structure for other formats. Podcasts are great because they are easy for people to access on the go.
Reports & Newsletters
Creating reports and newsletters is a great content marketing storytelling strategy. Reports can be offered as lead magnets, but they must be different from the norm. Create the reports around an element of your story so it gives people the reason to subscribe. Use a lead capture page but use parts of your story within the content on the page.
I know I keep banging on about your story so use it in all the content you create and publish.
Finally, newsletters can be monthly story books based upon you and your industry. You must give people the reason to look forward to your issue, so they read it. Your content can be used to promote your products and services but be clever about it. What I mean is guide people in a direction without it being obvious. Create the desire through your story so they feel they must have what you are offering.
I am confident that content marketing storytelling will get you results if you use it correctly. The strategies I have shared with you work and my Build Your AU Mastermind program will help create your story.
A life of freedom and choice.
Trish Davies International
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