In our previous post we discussed the importance of maintaining consistency in your content marketing, or the content that is posted to your company’s blog, social media channels and other online platforms. It’s easy to forget, especially in an entrepreneurial environment in which “disrupting” an entrenched industry or market is both glorified and celebrated, that the vast majority of small businesses are built on good, old-fashioned consistency, even if your product or service is meant to be disruptive to the status quo in some way. Your customers don’t want to have a radically different experience each time they interact with your company or your brand – in fact, in order to establish, maintain and grow a base of loyal customers, your business simply must establish a consistent and reliable system of doing business. This will in turn establish your brand as consistent and reliable to your customers.
Subsequently, it shouldn’t be shocking to learn that your content marketing must accurately and consistently represent your brand voice in order to be effective. This is necessary to convey the consistency and reliability of your brand to your customers and the public. However, if you aren’t a professional writer, and if you are unable or unwilling to spend the money and resources necessary to hire one, what is one of the best methods you can use to begin writing with a consistent brand voice? By telling a story, of course!
The Role Of The Storyteller
Take a moment to remember the last time you conveyed a story or a personal account of an incident, especially if it was to a group. No matter your personality, manner of speaking or comfort level with social interactions, we often speak and act differently when we’re telling a story – whether we realize it or not, we assume a slightly different role than our normal social selves and speak from a place of authority. This is because we are often the only ones in the group that can relate the events, either as they happened or from our unique perspective. While it is never a good thing to lie, it’s also possible that sometimes we tweak the truth a bit, either conveying the events in heightened or slightly more exciting manner or aggrandizing our own role in the incident or story.
While there is a significant difference between telling a story in a social situation and producing content marketing for your business, there are a number of important similarities – in much the same way that you assume the role of storyteller, you must assume the role of the brand voice for your business, and whether you believe it or not, your customers and target market do want to hear stories through your content marketing!
What Does Your Audience What To Hear?
As an entrepreneur, freelancer or business manager, you already know that your customers need or want something from your business – after all, that’s what makes them customers in the first place! However, it may not be as obvious that your customers don’t like choosing a business at random, or with no prior knowledge of the reputation or history of the business. They want to know who you are, where you’ve come from and the knowledge, expertise and skillsets you and your employees bring to the table. Telling a story through social media about you, your business and your brand not only provides an avenue and opportunity to educate your target market, but it also allows you to assume the role of storyteller, providing a framework and context for you to adopt your brand voice and mold it and shape it through repetition and practice, turning you into a better and more disciplined writer!