You’ve likely heard the saying, “show, don’t tell”, especially if you’ve ever taken any literature, screen or play writing courses. If by chance you haven’t, then maybe it’s best to show you, not tell you, what it means and why it’s important for all aspects of your marketing.
The end goal in marketing is to get the message across to the people we want to receive it. Wouldn’t it be great if all we had to do was just say it like it is, and everyone would come running?
- “Buy our dish soap, because it’s the best!”
- “Our tools last 10 times longer than the competition!”
- “Our cars are the safest on the market!”
In the case of marketing, however, the shortest line between two points (customer and product/service) is never usually a straight line. We’re “telling” the customer why they should buy from us. These messages can be effective and may have value, but they don’t create connection, build a relationship, or convert the buyer into a lifelong brand ambassador.
Imagine instead, the following scenarios playing out:
- A single mom, working two jobs, with two kids at home, juggle everything. We see her tired, standing over the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink as she wonders how she can get it all done. Then a small hand reaches up and pulls the dishtowel off her arm as another reaches up to pass the dish soap. We see them all laughing and enjoying a moment together, doing the dishes.
- A flash warning on the TV about an approaching hailstorm, while a homeowner struggles to attach plywood sheets to their windows as the wind picks up around them. As they’re nailing the wood in place, their no-name hammer snaps in two. Their neighbour sees them struggling, and quickly rushes over, the brand name hammer in their hands, as the two work together to board up the house.
- A young girl learning to drive with her parents, a montage of small mistakes while practicing, then succeeding, then getting her license, and then buying her first car (a Volvo), and then driving on her own for the first time, the taillights heading off into the night, closing on the Volvo logo and the tagline “Drive Safely”
This is storytelling, and the impact of “showing”, not “telling” is dramatic. In the end, the core message is the same, but the human connection is so much deeper. Instead of talking about ourselves, what we offer, or why it’s best, instead we’re talking about concerns that our audience have, and how we can help to solve them. Storytelling can help you guide your customers to the solutions you have, in a way that matters.
Start telling your story today.
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash