Marketing 101 : How to Tell Stories That Resonate

I’m a big fan of Garrison Keillor and his radio show “Prairie Home Companion.” What is it that makes his listeners so loyal? Ask any of his 19,370 fans on Facebook and I bet they will agree it’s his mastery of story telling.

Some of the smartest ad campaigns have learned this lesson well. What dad can’t relate to Subaru’s “Baby Driver,” a story about the moment their “baby” drives the first time. Another favorite is an ad where Mark asks his girlfriend for a second chance using Google Chrome. Talk about viral marketing, this ad has gotten over 408,000 hits on YouTube since it first ran on TV. (if you haven’t seen it take a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjHCCU2E4c)

When asked to create campaigns for clients we begin by considering the story behind the product or service. Stories invite listeners in and when done honestly, it feels like a conversation rather than a sales pitch.

One of our college clients asked us to create a brochure focusing on individual alumni. It’s a book of stories, stories about people who accomplished great things in their communities and beyond. What makes this piece resonate and inspire? In a few paragraphs we learn about their dreams and aspirations in a relatable way. It’s been a great success for the school, alumni bonds are strengthened and each year new stories are added.

Tips for telling a compelling story:
:: Make sure it’s based in reality
:: Give it a beginning, middle and end
:: Understand your audience
:: Give a payoff at the end
:: Tell it simply and with emotion
:: Make it relatable

So what makes a good story according to Garrison, “the first and strongest stories you have to tell are stories that happened to you before you were 12 years old.”

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29th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards
The Byne Group has won two awards in the 29th Annual  Healthcare Advertising Awards.

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May 1, 2013
Good Campaigns Make You Think, But Great Campaigns Make You Feel

I had the privilege of attending the Thinking Creatively conference at Kean University with our amazing design team last Friday. It was a great experience, and no, it wasn't because I had a day away from the office.

It was because it was a day for us to learn from all the great speakers how to do what we do, but even better. With the deadlines and responsibilities on our plates each day, it would be far easier to say we don't have the time to take an entire day to stop everything we're doing and go to a conference on thinking creatively. But that's one of the qualities...

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