The Art of Storytelling for Businesses

What‟sYour Vishal Khandelwal www.copywriterinindia.com www.safalniveshak.comStory?

“Trust Me!”The Most Misused TermAcross Most Businesses

Today, I‟ll Tell You How to Build Real TrustAmong Your Prospects & Customers

But before that…Here‟s a Short Story…

DISASTERSTRIKES!

You Wouldn‟t BuildA Gallery That Way…Right?

So How Could YouBuild A Business That Way?

But Wait!Are You Building a Business? Or a TRIBE?

A Business is about STUFF …that sold in the ―During Advertising‖ Era (Television, Radio, Print Advertising) A Tribe is about STORIES…that create Trust in the ―After Advertising‖ Era (Social Media) This is your ART!

The Power CurveHas Changed!

The Old Power CurveValue, Rs Production Invention Marketing Time

The New Power CurveValue, Rs Invention Storytelling Production Time

{Only} Two Rules of Success1. Invent stuff worth talking about2. Tell stories about what you‘ve invented

Stories that were told well…

What About You?1. Do you produce stuff worth talking about? You answer that!1. How do you tell stories about what you‘ve produced? That‘s what I‘m here for!

First, What Makes for A Great Story?

A Great Story…is True Longaberger Corp.‟s Headquarters, US Consumers are too good at sniffing out inconsistencies.So it‘s important to tell a story that‘s consistent & authentic.

A Great Story…Makes a Promise It promises fun, money, safety, shortcut, or connection with old friends… …and then fulfills that promise.

A Great Story…is TrustedTrust is the scarcest resource we‘ve got left…especially in the financial services industry. No one trusts anyone. So a great story is one that creates trust.

A Great Story…Appeals to Senses Not to logic…it appeals to people‘s emotions. Like the ‗unhealthy‘ Coke or the ‗gas guzzling‘ Hummer.

A Great Story…Agrees with Worldview It doesn‘t teach people anything new. Instead, it agrees with what the people already believe in and makes them feel smart and secure.

To Answer The Question…

Your Story in Your „ART‟People will throng to your Gallery when you tell it well.

But How Do YouLet the WorldKnow Your Story?

Old Channels, Expensive, Local Reach

This is How I Do It…• Blogging• E-Letters I write content• E-Books to tell my story• Video Posts using the Power of WWW• Email Auto-responders• Direct Response Copies

Blogging Makes You Money… This Way or That Way!

My 6 Steps to Storytelling Nirvana … in 30 Minutes Flat!Finalize a Download Activate a Open a Get down Domain Host your Wordpress Readymade Email to story-Name & domain on your Wordpress Marketing telling to Register (Rs 3,500) Domain Theme Account create a(Rs 500) (Free) (Free) (Free)* ‘Tribe’* Mailchimp provides Free Email marketing up to 2,000 subscribers/12,000 mails a month

Here‟s How The “Safal Niveshak” Tribe Has Grown… 600 Now, I have 512 Friends! 450 Just 1 Reader of My Story – Myself! 300 150 0 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11 Jan-12 Feb-12Zero Advertisement…Zero Online Marketing…Zero Products to Sell… Just Storytelling!

To Tell Your Story, First Build A Website That Works…A Website is your ‗Storyteller‘ and mustdo at least one of two things, but probably both:1. Turn a stranger into a friend, and a friend into a customer.2. Talk in a tone of voice that persuades people to believe the story you‘re telling

Build A Website That Works…A Web site can cause only four things to happen in the moments aftersomeone sees it:1. He clicks and goes somewhere else you want her to go.2. He clicks and gives you permission to follow up by email or phone.3. He clicks and buys something.4. He tells a friend, either by clicking or by blogging or phoning or talking.

4 Things That Make for a Website that Works… Clean Home Page & 1 Easy Navigation...to welcome your visitor and ensure that he doesn‘t lose his way

4 Things That Make for a Website that Works… 2 Cornerstone Content …the Story…the ART in your gallery

How to Create Cornerstone Content?• First, know your story• Make a big promise (What‘s in it for the reader)• Use a powerful headline – Unique, Urgent, Useful, Ultra-Specific• Use simple, conversational language• Show him the picture• Show him the proof – Build Trust• Push him to act – connect with you, subscribe to you, buy from you Remember, this is where you tell your Story …so tell it well!

4 Things That Make for a Website that Works… 3 SEO …so that people who don‘t know your story can find you• SEO isn‘t ―Black magic‖• SEO is as simple as 1-2-3… 1. Identify the right keywords 2. Write ‗compelling‘ content 3. Get other websites to link to you

But Why Bother about SEO at all?Based on Global Search Statistics… 49% of Internet users utilize Search Engines on a typical day. 71% of online shoppers browse multiple stores prior to making a purchase. 39% of search engine users believe that the companies whose websites are returned among the top search results are the leaders in their field. 62% of search users click a link on the first page of search results. 75% of Internet users have the intent to purchase when using search engines.

4 Things That Make for a Website that Works… 4 Landing Pages …one huge part of email marketing…where you send traffic5 purposes of a landing page…1. Get a visitor to click to go to another page2. Get a visitor to buy3. Get a visitor to give permission for you to follow up by email, phone, etc.4. Get a visitor to tell a friend5. Get a visitor to comment or give you some sort of feedback

Landing Page that Tells A StoryWhat separates a ‗good‘ landing page from a ‗great‘ one…• Premise…the emotional hook that attracts and maintains engagement• Promise…make him a ‗big promise‘• Picture…show him the picture of the life with your product/service• Proof…show him ample proof to justify your claims• Push…lead him to act on your request – either to buy or subscribe

Okay, Let‟s Get Back to… Storytelling

Storytelling/Content Goals Worth Pursuing

1 To build trust and rapport with your audience When you create useful, interesting, and valuable content, your audience learns they can trust you. They see that you know your subject. They get a sense of your personality and what it would be like to work with you. Lack of trust kills conversion…but an abundance of valuable content builds trust like nothing else.

2 To attract new prospects to your marketing system No matter how delightful your existing customers are, you need a steady stream of new prospects to keep your business healthy. Remarkable content that gets shared around the web will find your best new prospects for you, and lead them back to everything you have to offer.

3 To explore prospect pain Most enduring businesses thrive because they solve problems. They solve health problems, parenting problems, money problems, business problems, technology problems, ―What should I make for dinner‖ problems. When you understand your prospect‘s problems, you understand how to help them, and you have the core of your marketing message. Strategic content dives into the problems your prospects are facing. What annoys them? What frightens them? What keeps them awake at night?

4 To illustrate benefits You don‘t dig up prospect problems and leave it at that. You talk about solutions. Strategic content doesn‘t just tell a prospect, ―My product is a good way to solve your problem.‖ It shows them. And that‘s a cornerstone persuasion technique.

5 To overcome objections Your prospect is looking for ways to solve his problem, but he‘s also keeping an eye out for potential problems. Strategic content can be a superb way to address prospect objections — the reasons they don‘t buy. Is price a pain point? Write content showing that implementing your solutions saves money in the long run. Do your customers think your product will be too complicated to use? Write content that shows customers going from zero to sixty … painlessly.

6 To paint the picture of life with your product Storytelling is one of the best content marketing strategies, and it‘s a superb way to let customers mentally ―try out‖ your offer before they ever experience it for themselves. Use content to show what it‘s like to own your product or use your service.

7 To attract strategic partners Deven probably liked my content and thus he invited me to rant on content writing. So content helps create partnerships. When you‘re passionate about creating excellent content, you‘ll find that potential partners are attracted to that passion.

8 To deepen loyalty with existing customers Every company needs to attract new customers. But the biggest growth potential in most businesses comes from building a tighter relationship with your existing customers. Don‘t treat the waitress better than you do your date. Give great stuff to the people who have already bought from you, and they‘ll reward you for it.

9 To develop new business ideas Get your new ideas into your content, and see how people react. You can watch what excites people, and what fizzles out. Content is an amazing low-risk way to try out your ideas while risking very little.

10 To build your reputation with search engines Search engines find you valuable when readers find you valuable. Search engines are looking for content that‘s valuable to their users. If you create that type of content, your SEO battle is 9/10 done.

Content Marketing & Social Media are a Powerful Match Social Media Great Content Campfire where Your Tribe‘s your Tribe saga and story congregates If you create content that‘s worthy of attention, the world will show up and talk about it.I don‘t know how they‘ll show up in 5 years (or 5 months), but I know they will.

The Consumer Isn‟t A Moron… She is your wife!• Pamper her• Patiently explain her your point of view• Love her• Make her feel special• Do what she says Use Cornerstone Content to tell her a Story that she already believes in.

Here‟s Your Goal for 2012Become a StorytellerORHire a Storyteller …whatever it takes, start telling your story, because it matters!

Why You Need a Storyteller? Statistics don‘t go viral, stories do Social media is your biggest ally People pay attention to creativity “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” ~ Rudyard Kipling

Taking the Next StepI‟ve said enough.But you know better what‟s stirring somewhere inside you.You know better how to go about creating your own tribe.It‟s up to YOU to find and connect with it by telling stories that theybelieve in. I hope you will.

Write Great Content. Spread Your Story. Create Your Tribe.

About the StorytellerVishal Khandelwal is a copywriter, independent financialanalyst, speaker…basically an idea guy.He lives in Navi Mumbai with his wife and2 wonderful kids.He tells his story at…www.safalniveshak.comwww.copywriterinindia.comGet in touch with Vishal at…Email: vishal@copywriterinindia.com / vishal@safalniveshak.comTel.: +91-80-8097073918LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/vishalkh

References Used:1. Content is King (Presentation by Karen McGrane)2. „Tribes‟ & „All Marketers Are Liars‟ (Seth Godin)

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The Art of Storytelling for Businesses

by Safal Niveshak

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