How to tell an unmissable story (that sells)

Storytelling is one of the most powerful communication tools you can use to build an authentic,  compelling, and unmissable brand. Brands like Warby Parker, Polaroid, and Dove all strive to connect with their audience on a human level using stories. 

Why do stories matter? Because people remember stories. Stories make you feel emotions. Stories build your know, like, and trust factor. Stories can boost your marketing efforts and, ultimately, increase your sales. 

Big brands know that stories sell, and each of them has its own unique narrative that highlights how they started, why they do what they do, and how it helps their customers. Engaging their audience through storytelling builds a connection and keeps them coming back for more.

So how can you learn how to tell an unmissable story that sells? It first helps to understand why storytelling is so compelling.

Why storytelling is so effective

Telling stories is a highly effective way to engage your audience and connect with them on a specific level. But not every story is going to resonate with your people. 

As with every piece of copy you write, make sure you know exactly who you’re talking to. This is also called your target audience. For example, Warby Parker isn’t trying to use their story to sell eyeglasses to people that don’t need them. Their target audience needs eyewear to go about their daily business. 

Once you know who you’re telling your story to, you must have an end goal. What are you trying to accomplish through your story? Do you want to…

• Raise brand awareness?

• Teach and educate your audience?

• Drive your audience to take a specific action?

• Foster relationships with your audience by sharing values and finding commonalities?

Once you’ve nailed down your target audience and the goal you’re trying to achieve, you can start telling your story. 

How to tell your story

Every story varies, but for the most part, there are three key elements to include: the hero, the obstacle, and the resolution. I know this sounds like a generic tip Stephen King would give to his non-fiction writing class, but including these elements sets your story up with solid foundations so you can generate real results for your business.

Here’s what I mean.

If you want to write a story that sells, you need to summarize why your target audience (hero) needs your offer (resolution) to overcome a particular challenge they face (obstacle).

When you write your story, always make your customer the hero, give an obstacle that resonates with your audience, and wrap up your story with a call to action that makes them feel good (and ideally, highlights your unique offer)

Applying storytelling to your marketing

Now that you have the basic writing elements of your story, you can start incorporating some marketing elements to make your story sellable. 

When you use stories inside your marketing, always aim to write a story that’s:

1. Educational and provides value 

2. Relatable and relevant 

3. Entertaining enough to keep them engaged

4. Unmissable and memorable 

5. Accessible to your audience on the platforms they show up on

Once you have a solid story (with a hero, obstacle, and resolution) ready to go, you then need to decide what medium you’re using to tell it. Are you posting on Instagram, sending an email, writing a blog, or creating a YouTube video? 

Written and visual storytelling are both great ways to grab your audience’s attention and build an emotional connection with them. I recommend using both when and where possible. And to be totally honest, you should be telling your story on multiple platforms. 

Instagram Reels, IGTV, Facebook Lives, and YouTube videos are all great ways to visually tell your story. But it’s also just as effective to tell your story in your copy as well. Basically, tell it everywhere you show up online, but don’t copy-paste. Every platform needs a different approach to producing compelling content, so do your due diligence. 

No matter where you show up, the important thing to remember is that if you truly want to build a brand that connects with your audience and increases your sales, your brand should embody the story you’re selling. Your story helps your audience find a tangible connection with you and invest in your brand. 

Hopefully, this post helps you understand how to tell an unmissable story that sells so you can apply it to your brand copy, social copy, email copy, and wherever else your words show up online.

If you have questions about storytelling, don’t hesitate to contact me! If this post made you realize you want to outsource your copy, check out the different ways we can work together here!