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What's Your Story - Part I

Written by: Caroline Melberg

Article Overview: Increase your search engine rankings and boost sales.

What's Your Story - Part I

A friend’s daughter asked me the other day what it was that
I did for a living.

Given that she is 7 years old, my usual answer, “I own and
run my own marketing communications agency,” wasn’t cutting
it.

I could tell by the blank stare I got in return for that
answer.

Considering my audience, trying again I said, “I help
companies market their products and services so they can
sell stuff and make money.”

Better – she seemed to be considering that.

“So how do you do that?” she asks.

“I create websites and brochures, I write direct mail
packages and newsletters and I help my clients get these
things in front of their new customers,” I said.

“So that’s all you have to do to get people to buy stuff?”
she asked me.

“Well, no,” I said. “It’s more than just the brochures and
websites and stuff.”

“So what do you really have to do then?” she asked.

And about this time I was wondering if all 7 year olds were
this curious. I looked pleadingly to her mom, and all I got
from her in return was a shrug and her reply, “welcome to my
world.”

“You have to put a whole integrated campaign together so
that everything makes sense. You have to make sure
everything is consistent with the image of the company
you’re promoting. You have to tell the customer a story,” I
answered.

“You tell stories for a living?” she asked, obviously
amazed.

And I realized it was true. “Yep,” I said. “That’s what I
do. I tell my customer’s stories to their customers. That,
in a nutshell, is what marketing’s all about.”

“Cool!” she answered.

Of course, marketers didn’t invent storytelling – we just
perfected an art that has been around since time began.

As humans, we’re all looking for ways to explain the world
we see. Early humans noticed things in their environment and
invented stories to help understand them.

The sun rising in the East was the “Great Sun God” smiling
upon them. Sickness was a curse brought on by any number of
transgressions, and rain could be summoned by dancing in
circles.

We’ve progressed (some) since that time. But we still all
rely on stories every day to explain the world around us. We
tell stories to each other, and we tell stories to
ourselves.

And because we are used to telling stories to each other,
as consumers we expect and demand that marketers tell
stories to us about the products and services they promote.

Some marketers tell great stories, and some are pretty bad.
But here’s the catch – no matter how great the story is, if
the product or service experience isn’t consistent with the
story, consumers will turn on you like month-old milk.

Apple Computer is a company who tells a masterful story.
It’s the key to their success and cult-like customer
following.

The famous “1984” ad – which aired only once during the
Super Bowl in 1983 convinced legions of the faithful that
using a Mac was akin to fighting George Orwell’s “big
brother” and everything evil that he stood for. Their “Think
Different” campaign – and every bit of marketing they do
reinforces that story.

The fact that Apple makes beautiful, innovative products
and cutting-edge software supports the story they tell us.
(And yes, it’s obvious that I’ve bought their story!)

On the other hand – remember the campaign, “This is Not
Your Father’s Oldsmobile”? Great story. Oldsmobile had an
image problem – their cars were for “old folks” – so to
combat that image they created a campaign aimed right at the
heart of the matter.

Too bad the product development people didn’t get the
message. The campaign was a miserable failure and Oldsmobile
went out of business because the cars really were still
“your father’s Oldsmobile.” A story told to a consumer that
isn’t consistent with the product experience is a story
better left untold.

So – what’s your story?

What promise does your story make to your customers – and
is that promise upheld by their experiences with your
products or services? If it is, consumers will trust you,
and they’ll listen to your story indefinitely.

About the Author:

Entrepreneur and outdoor photography adventurer Caroline Melberg is President and CEO of Small Business Mavericks, a division of Melberg Marketing. She has over 20 years of experience creating marketing communications materials and writing copy for some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. Her small business columns are syndicated online, and she publishes the award-winning eZine, "Small Business Maverick Secrets." Learn insider Maverick Marketing secrets you can use immediately to find new customers and increase your sales. When you subscribe, you'll also get a FREE copy of her e-Book, "Local Small Business Internet Marketing Secrets" - learn insider secrets to marketing your local small business on the Web today! Get your FREE subscription at .

Want to use this article in YOUR eZine or business publication? You can, as long as you include the complete article along with my bio above!

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Article Tags: campaign, campaign, marketing communications agency



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