Three Ways to Use Story Based Marketing

We're using story-based marketing more and more with our clients, to fantastic results. Here are three ways to take marketing tools you probably already use and, with the right team behind you, transform them to story-based marketing.

• Blogs

Most businesses have incorporated a blog onto their site-and most businesses don't understand how to really harness its power. Your blog is the direct line between you and your customer. Why waste that valuable connection by filling it with transparent marketing ploys? Save the press releases for your News section and use the blog to help readers understand the character of your company. Be honest, not bland! This is a great way to ensure that the customers who end up working with you are the ones you want to work with.

• Case studies

Most people balk at the mention of case studies, picturing long, boring white papers to which they'll only half pay attention, at best. But case studies can be one of the most dynamic, inspirational, exciting story-based marketing tools! Several months ago, we created an online case study (http://www.roundtablecompanies.com/barriocasestudy/) for the Barrio brand. It's interactive, excitingly-designed, and it tells the story of what we've been able to do for The Barrio. How can you revamp your case studies to tell a truer, more meaningful, and more inspiring story about what your company has to offer?

• Website

Your website is the face of your company. Most of the time, customers will see it before they ever see you. And yet, I see businesses take the cheap way out all the time! They go for the template and rush to fill in the details, eager to simply have a presence on the Internet. A "presence" isn't enough among billions of pages out there. Your website should be an investment. It's your identity.  People will immediate correlate how they feel about your website with how they will feel about working with you.  Everything about it should tell the story of your company and its values in a way that emotionally inspires your audience.

Need help transforming tired marketing basics into innovative story-based marketing? Contact our business development director Erin Cohen at erin@roundtablecompanies.com to set up a time to talk.