Every business and brand has a story. Some do a great job of telling it, like Patagonia and Coca-Cola, and others simply fall flat. I will not attempt to alienate them all.
I’ve meet oodles of people and have worked with Fortune 500 Companies who have a story to tell and rely on me to string words together to convey what it is that makes them interesting experts. I listen and do my best to convey their story in a compelling way — narrating conversations, while adding color and texture.
More and more brands are catching on to the benefits of a good story. Some call it Brand Journalism others, Brand Storytelling, but anyway you slice it it leads to deepening engagement.
I think we should revisit our playlist and take a cue from Country musicians (banjo, please). Nashville makes neighbors of diverse fans. Why? Because we are sucked into the story. Unlike other genres, we don’t need an interpreter or pharmaceuticals to understand the lyrics. We simply can’t help but be drawn – we can relate.
When Zac Brown Band sings Knee Deep – I have to confess, I’m right there — “knee deep in the water somewhere, got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair, only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair.” Visions of Mexico, umbrella drinks and paradise prevail. And the best part, Zac added credibility by featuring Buffet — the king of five o’clock somewhere, who would have never agreed if the song weren’t true to his brand.
There are countless country examples, and for brands begging for inspiration — Get Sirius about Country. If you do half as good of a job as Zac, Dolly, Rascal or Keith, then your customers will be drawn to listen, learn and tune back into your story on a consistent basis.
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