What messaging hook is resonating with your customer? Do you know the story arc you want to use when telling your story in the market?
Many companies place too much weight on the product build and not enough on the messaging hook and the pain point they’re solving in the market. Knowing exactly which hook is resonating with your customers is incredibly important.
A big mistake is being too focused on features and functionality (speeds and feeds) rather than the strategic narrative and the problem that the product is solving. (solution marketing vs. feature marketing).
— Dave Steer, Vice President of Marketing, LogDNA
It is my observation that some of the most analytical and intelligent people I know have little self-awareness for how they appear in rooms or in conversations, which hinders their storytelling skills and ability to explain something to a mainstream audience. Technical leaders can have tunnel vision and a deep but narrow category of knowledge, which makes it difficult to be accessible and tell a captivating story. Consider this when building a marketing narrative and story.
While there are some founders and technical teams who do have both technical and analytical knowledge and a great means of storytelling, it is more the exception than the rule. Sometimes the closer we are to a product, the harder it is to see the big picture and how that product fits into the ecosystem.
It is equally important if not most important for product- and engineering-led companies to hire storytellers and marketers to help them craft a narrative that is compelling and interesting for their audience. I have found that some of the best storytellers are those who are new to the platform and product or have many areas of expertise and exposure. It’s not enough to just explain what you do — you want to create a story that is memorable with a clear CTA for your audience.
Poet and activist Muriel Rukeyser once said, “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.”
Stories hit you viscerally. They can transport you to another place and time and often become symbols that remain in your subconscious mind, which controls 95% of our brain activity and how you see the world. Powerful stories allow you to enter the consciousness and emotional world of another person and reality, and identify with it.
Customers’ attention spans are decreasing with the proliferation of social media and smartphones, which means it’s more important now than ever to create a company story that is compelling and resonates with the customer.
The hero’s journey is a great tool to use when approaching the story arc for a company brand. Companies sometimes make themselves the hero of their marketing story, but they should be the mentor or guide on the hero’s journey, always making sure the customer is the hero. Marketing pitches can be confusing if the customer doesn’t understand how they fit into the hero’s journey.
Additionally, make it a point to find out which marketing collateral resonates the most and which campaigns led to the highest conversion rate. Investigate the words and the story you shared in those messages, and see if you can replicate them for further feedback.
To reiterate, here are the main takeaways that emphasize the importance of storytelling in connecting with customers:
- Adapt Your Story to Evolving Market Needs: Storytelling isn’t static. As your product evolves and as market conditions shift, so too should your messaging. Regularly revisiting your story and understanding how it fits into the larger ecosystem will help you stay relevant and maintain your connection with your audience. A flexible narrative that adapts to customer feedback is a winning strategy.
- Test and Iterate on Your Messaging: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different storytelling approaches. A/B testing your messaging can help identify what resonates most with your customers. This iterative approach allows you to fine-tune your story based on real data, making it more compelling over time.
- Emotion is Key to Connection: Beyond the technical details, it’s the emotional connection that makes a story memorable. Tapping into the emotional benefits your product offers can create a deeper resonance with your audience, making them more likely to become loyal customers.
- Make Data-Driven Storytelling a Priority: Incorporate data and insights into your storytelling to make it both emotional and credible. Customer testimonials, case studies, and real-world results can bolster your narrative, providing proof points that validate the story you’re telling.
- The Power of Relatability: Ensure that your story is relatable. By positioning your customer as the hero and making your brand the guide, you build trust and empower them to envision their own success through your product. When customers see themselves in your story, it becomes much easier for them to engage with and trust your brand.
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My latest book, The Launch: A Product Marketer’s Guide, is now available on Amazon. I also wrote the book “Product Marketing Debunked. The Essential Go-To-Market Guide” which you can purchase on Amazon.
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