Maybe sales and marketing are not your strongest skills. But if you want to improve your marketing by 100%, try this simple technique that anybody can do: learn to tell a good story.
In my latest column over at the OPEN Forum site, I discuss the power of telling stories to spice up your marketing:
T.J. Walker, a public speaking consultant to the rich and famous, wrote about the power of telling stories. Quoting the book “Made to Stick” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, he notes that 63% of people will remember a story from a talk or presentation, versus only 5% who remembered statistics.
He also said this: “Stories are not a luxury; they are the single most effective way to get your audience to remember your messages.”
OK, he was talking about public speaking. But, that same principle applies to marketing your business, too — because marketing is partially about getting your message across.
If you want your business to be memorable, and for your message to reach as many people as possible and persuade them to buy, learn to tell stories around your business.
Naturally, in my column I tell a story to get my point across — a story about fuzzy bunny slippers. Read: How Fuzzy Bunny Slippers Can Grow Your Business.
Check out the comments under that column, too. Ivana Taylor left a helpful comment outlining how to get started telling your story, if you’re not sure how.
You might also want to read my article from 2006, about the need to cultivate a great company story if you want to win business awards.
Every small business has a good story. It’s there somewhere. It just needs to be teased out and developed.
