Uncover Why Storytelling is More Than a Buzzword
The word storytelling seems to appear more frequently than Teslas these days, and because of that, it is easy to assume or dismiss it as nothing more than a buzzword. While the word has become ubiquitous, that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit to the strategy of storytelling.
Mull on this—since the dawn of time humans have been telling stories. Initially that began with oration and how important information was conveyed and customs were passed along. Now, stories can apply to almost anything. It can be a story you tell someone, a news story, your personal story/journey, a feature in certain social media platforms, a video, a novel or book, the list goes on.
We are genetically wired to love and respond to stories. There’s a scientific reason for this—the neural activity in our brain increases five-fold when we hear a story. Translation, all that firing of synapses lights up like a pinball machine when we hear a story, illuminating the city of our mind. Stories can inspire us and move us to action. Stories can also create change and engender us to one another. Stories can convey company culture and support recruitment and retention efforts, in addition to marketing. It is also important to note that even the best of stories cannot save a flawed product, process, or service.
At Spark + Buzz Communications we believe stories must be authentic and genuine, not merely made-up fodder for marketing campaigns. The reason we believe this is because while storytelling may be the mechanism used to deliver services and differentiate companies, that isn’t all there is.
When we understand the value of connecting the dots across an organization through a compelling and consistent narrative, it fosters repeat customers, raving fans and engaged employees. Let’s not gloss over that, because the byproduct of all those wonderful things boosts brand awareness, bolsters business goals, increases ROI and positions the organization to attract the best and brightest talent.
While many organizations don’t talk about silos anymore, it would be foolish to think that communication and storytelling efforts aren’t still disconnected. Much like our healthcare system in the US, most internal departments are specialists, focusing exclusively on one area, rarely understanding the nuances and importance of the other departments in the bigger picture.
When everyone and every department understands the overarching narrative, their role and contribution to it, and it is strategically woven throughout every layer and facet of the business (internally and externally), it creates a powerful and consistent customer and employee experience. And, when that is done well, there truly is no competition.
Spark + Buzz is an award-winning, woman-owned strategic communications consultancy that helps brands tell their story to inspire audiences and galvanize growth. Learn more about our integrated branding, marketing and public relations services here.