The COVID-19 lockdowns have resulted in a rapid rise in global ecommerce – in fact, new data shows that worldwide ecommerce sales reached $4 trillion in 2020.
Now that people everywhere are used to buying online, it’s more important than ever for businesses to have an effective digital strategy. One marketing approach that has proven to be increasingly relevant online is business storytelling.
To make sure that your business gets attention – and sales! – in this increasingly competitive atmosphere, consider these 4 useful business storytelling tips:
1. Start with an emotional connection
The most successful movies and the novels all have one common denominator: they are crafted to reach people’s emotions. Although logic and reason play a role in the buying process, as a brand, first you need to appeal to people’s feelings.
In 2021, it’s not enough to simply have an online presence. The mere act of posting content won’t distinguish you from all the competition online – you need to provide something that will not only catch the attention of your ideal audience, but also engage them at a deeper gut and heart level. Generally speaking, the deeper you can touch them emotionally, the better.
Whether it is an article, a photograph, or a video, make sure that a very compelling narrative goes with it so that the viewers can have something that they will not easily forget.
2. Make your ideal client the hero of the story 
You might assume that the “story” of your brand is the one about your founding and your struggle to reach, maintain, and grow a profit. However, when you’re presenting yourself online, you want to make sure it is your ideal client who at is the center of the story.
For example, on your website, your “About Us” really shouldn’t be about you, it should be about your clients and how you help and serve them. This admittedly counterintuitive approach puts the focus of your efforts where it should be: on you client and the “hero’s journey” they can go on with your brand.
Another useful tip is to share the stories of your best past clients. Feature the stories of your satisfied customers and how your brand helped them solve their problems and realize their dreams.
If you make your ideal clients the star of your business’s narrative, you’ll attract more of the same who will want to go on their own similar journey with you.
3. Be authentic
If you want to gain your client’s trust, make sure your storytelling is authentic.
Sure, everybody loves a rags-to-riches, underdog, Cinderella story – but if your business didn’t start in tragedy and rise to unprecedented heights, don’t try to pretend that it did. Online audiences are savvier than ever, and a genuine narrative is more likely to forge a long-term bond.
The good news is this means that you don’t have to share only “good news”. Human beings appreciate vulnerability, and if you open up in a transparent way about your own challenges and mistakes, this can actually help strengthen an emotional bond with your clients.
4. Start with the end in mind
Some authors might write in a fit of inspiration, picking up the pen with no idea where the story will go. But most successful authors have a good sense of how the story ought to end, and so should your business as you plan your customer interactions.
This applies not only to the roadmap of your customer journey, but to the various stories you share in your online content. How do you want people to feel after they interact with your brand online? What step do you want them to take next? As you craft the components of your digital campaigns, you should always be staying one step ahead of your clients.
Want to ensure your online business will not just survive but thrive during this time of global e-commerce acceleration? You need an e-commerce and digital marketing expert on your side – and that’s where our team here at JXT Group can help! Find out more by calling 718-690-730 or submitting our online form.
