Fri 12 Sep 2008
Storytelling as a Marketing Tool
Posted by Megan Dorn under Small Business
Creating a bond with your customers is difficult, especially if your primary business is on the Internet. Gaining that rapport, however, is fundamental to marketing your business.
A few months ago I read a great story about how a bar near where I live once housed the spoils of a major railroad robbery in the late 1800s. Apparently it wasn’t until the 1930s that the secret room that concealed the piles of cash was discovered. What I thought was great was that I read this engaging story not in a newspaper or anything like that, but on the bar’s homepage. Then the other day I visited the Web site of this quaint coffee shop that I was thinking about going to. I clicked on the “Our Story” section and began reading all about the rich history of the building and the trials and tribulations the owner endured getting the business off the ground. When I finished reading I thought, “What a great story.”
Not everyone has a killer story like this, but if you got it, flaunt it! Why? Because company stories are a great way to give your customers a taste of who you are. A good company story can make people feel like they know you, or, depending on the story, it can also allow potential customers to identify with you. The closer people feel to your business, the easier it will be for you to earn their trust.
