Stories are a format we’re all familiar with. From Ladybird Classic bedtime stories right the way up to blockbuster movies, we know where we stand with stories.
By tapping into this predilection for narrative, B2B marketers and brands can offer their customers an emotional experience that will resonate. And even make them want to share.
Jason Miller, global content marketing leader at LinkedIn, explains how the old adage of ‘the best stories are often retold’ can ring true for advocacy marketing.
“There’s a beginning, middle and an end, and there’s a hero in that story; there’s an element of suspense and there’s a solution. Stories have the power to break through the noise and the adblocking to connect emotionally with customers and prospects so they become advocates.”
Marketing consultant Joshua Morse says that there are two big benefits to storytelling in the customer experience.
“Firstly, mapping your customer’s journey as a story helps humanise the decision making process. We can identify how and when to help customers, and understand the emotions and challenges they face. And secondly, the content that plugs those gaps is often best told as a story too.”
"Customers want a sense that using you will mean they're part of a great story themselves"
Catherine Toole, Sticky Content
What’s in a CX-enhancing story?
- A problem solved
- An emotional understanding
- A human experience
- Consistency throughout all touchpoints
While a good branded story will provide a seemingly effortless narrative for the customer, getting to that point is a technical process for marketers. In fact, Jason considers it a different operation entirely: “I don’t think of it as telling a story, I think of it as solving a problem; often a very complex problem.” So how do marketers find the problem they need to solve? It starts with the customer.
For Joshua, it’s imperative to understand the emotion behind your customers’ decisions. “Getting customers to do the talking is the most powerful way to show what your brand does for them, without you having to do the bragging. In B2B this might be detailed case studies and videos, or simply social updates from customers showing how you helped. And, make it visual in any way you can.”
Stories put your solution into a context the customer can relate to. If a customer sees a real person explain how their problems have been solved they are much more likely to believe the messages and subsequently buy the product. Catherine Toole, founder and non-executive director of Sticky Content, agrees that the human element is an important tactic for enhancing customer experience, especially through success stories. “What you’re looking to create is an empathetic response in the customer – a feeling of ‘Oh, that’s just like my situation, perhaps they can help me’ or a sense that using you will mean they’re part of a great story themselves.”
Customers are empowered to choose where they want to view content so marketers must figure out how to tell their brand stories across multiple channels. Achieving consistency throughout all touchpoints is paramount to providing a good customer experience. And remember: “If what you are doing isn’t based on a solid UX and content strategy, then it probably won’t work,” says Catherine. “Largely because you won’t have a clue what stories to tell or what your users are likely to want, need or respond to.”
Which brands are doing it well?
It’s hard not to notice excellent examples of storytelling in the B2C world. Just look at the full-frontal coverage of the Olympic Games 2016. While this is an extreme example that far outreaches the capabilities of even the greatest B2C brands, the same principles apply to B2B. Here’s a pick of some of the brands that are creating inspirational customer experiences through storytelling. They all have two things in common: a focus on the solution rather than the product, and a lack of hard sell.
Ring.com
Ring.com – a video doorbell company – have rolled out a set of customer stories over video and text which simply show what installing a new doorbell and security system has meant to various customers.
Pentagram 40th birthday
The design agency is personified and its life story told through the brands it helped.
Salesforce: Barclays’ success story
Salesforce’s customer case studies are another particularly good example. Bringing the traditional format to life with customers candidly talking about their challenges, the viewer is able to understand how it feels to work with that brand.