Why do so many brands botch their storytelling? Too many forget the story part, says Gaston Tourn, chief marketing officer for the social networking site Badoo. “No child has ever asked for a bedtime PowerPoint presentation,” he states.
Tourn, who earned a master’s in creative writing, says marketers would do well to turn to the lessons of great storytellers when crafting their B2B messages. In a recent article for AdWeek, he shared these insights marketers can glean from Ernest Hemingway:
- Give your characters flaws – We believe in Hemingway’s characters because they have human failings. However fantastic your product or service, don’t be afraid to tell people where you’re less great. They’ll trust you more.
- Use the power of the verb – Brands often tell their story with static nouns: audience reach, product solutions. But stories involve change, and they need verbs. To move people, you need movement. As Hemingway says, “Use vigorous English.” What verbs would make your story leap into life?
- Make a scene – To grab people’s attention, you need to create some urgency. We talk about “making a scene” when someone’s being disruptive; it’s the same in any good narration. What’s the urgency in your story? What will make people sit up and take notice?
- Embrace conflict – Conflict is at the heart of every great story. What internal conflicts does your brand have? Are there external problems? As John Le Carré said, “ ‘The cat sat on the mat’ is not a story. ‘The cat sat on the dog’s mat’ is a story.”
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