Whether it’s sharing a story over a campfire, reading to your kids at night, or relating a funny tale from your summer vacation, telling stories is an essential part of building a strong connection with the people in your life. That’s just as true with branding your company, as this report from Headstream demonstrates. As you can see, almost 80% of people polled felt that telling a story was a good idea for a brand – even though most of them couldn’t think of a good example.
So what makes a good story? 66% of those polled felt that they were most interested in hearing stories about regular people, as opposed to 38% who were curious about the brand’s customers and just 19% who wanted to hear about celebrities or the brand’s employees (a mere 10% wanted to be exposed to stories about a brand’s CEO).
Clearly, brands have responded in a positive way to this feedback; 64% of people polled felt that brands are good at telling stories. Across all age groups, humorous stories were viewed as the most relatable and interesting, while inspirational, dramatic, and informative stories also drew attention. Surprising stories were the least interesting, even among their best-received demographic.
Websites, blogs, and company email lists – so called “owned media” – were the preferred channel for digital story distribution. Website advertising was next, followed by social media advertising and social media content. But however you get the word out, sharing your stories has a big impact on conversions. 55% of people are more likely to buy your product in the future if they loved your brand story, and a full 15% may buy your product immediately. Meanwhile, 45% are likely to go on and “like” your Facebook page or share the story themselves, and 29% are likely to follow your brand on social media.
A business audience is like any other community. It’s stories that hold it together and form the memories that underlie future connections, and providing those stories should be a cornerstone of your branding strategy.
