The document discusses the power of storytelling in inbound marketing. It provides research showing that stories are powerful because they activate the same neural pathways as experiences. The document then outlines three keys to effective storytelling in inbound marketing: 1) Know your buyer personas, 2) Solve their problems, and 3) Be consistent and authentic. It emphasizes the importance of understanding personas, creating content to solve their problems, and maintaining consistency and transparency.

1. welcome
to Inbound Marketing SLC
Presented by Fit Marketing
#IMSLC
@fitinbound

6. Your Challenge
Harness the power of storytelling in your inbound
marketing to make the cash register ring

7. Why are stories so powerful?

8. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Dr. Maya Angelou

9. “Stories cause your neurons to fire the same way they would if you were
doing the actual action talked about.”
Annie Murphy Paul, “Brilliant: The New Science of Smart”
“When we tell stories to others that have really helped us shape our
thinking and way of life, we can have the same effect on them too. The
brains of the person telling a story and listening to it can synchronize.”
Uri Hasson, Princeton
(blog.bufferapp.com)

17. “Those who tell the
stories rule society.”

18. 3 Keys to Storytelling
with Inbound Marketing
1. Know your buyer personas
2. Solve their problems
3. Be consistent and authentic

19. Know your buyer personas
“Sample Sally” – fictitious
representation of your ideal
customer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Background
Demographics
Identifiers
Goals
Challenges
How to help
Real Quotes
Common Objections
Marketing Messaging
Elevator Pitch
Story Archetypes and Your Role in Her Story*

20. Know your buyer personas
The Seven Story Archetypes
• Overcoming the Monster
• Rags to Riches
• The Quest
• Voyage and Return
• Comedy
• Tragedy
• Rebirth
(Christopher Booker, “The Seven Basic Plots”)

21. Overcoming the Monster

22. Rags to Riches

23. The Quest

24. Voyage &
Return

25. Comedy

26. Tragedy

27. Rebirth

28. Solve their problems
Seven Steps to Solving Problems
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brainstorm 50-100 problems for each persona
Create an inventory of existing content
Identify where each persona is spending time online
Brainstorm 50-100 longtail keywords
Create an editorial calendar
– Types of content (blog posts, videos, premium
content, online magazines, social posts. etc)
– Targeted persona(s) & story archetype
– Map to stage of the buying cycle
(attention, interest, desire, action, loyalty)
– Goals (2-3 KPIs related to visitors, leads and
sales)
Create content for a lead capture and lead nurturing
path
Repurpose content regularly, refining it for each
platform
Beware: be honest about your bandwidth

30. Be Consistent & Authentic
Seven Tips for Consistency & Authenticity
• Tell the truth – our world rewards transparency
• Avoid self-promotion – you lose the credibility to tell
your own story
• Don’t think B2B or B2C, think P2P
• Keep up with the daily pulse
• Release steady streams of assets and artifacts aligned
with your persona’s story
• Make sure your content is learning, not just teaching
• Implement the 1:3 rule of content promotion

31. Be Consistent & Authentic
“Gen Y has been marketed to
since they were two. They have
very sophisticated BS sensors.
The only way around those
sensors is not to BS. They get it.”
Shane Smith, CEO of Vice

32. Harnessing the power of storytelling
to make the cash register ring
Marcus Sheridan, River Pools & Spas
• Cut budget from $250K/mo. in
marketing to $25k/mo.
• Moved from outbound to blogs and
videos
• Was radically transparent – listing
prices and praising competitors
• Answered every question people
ask in his blogs
• Revenue surpassed earlier levels
achieved with the $250K spend

33. welcome
to Inbound Marketing SLC
Presented by Fit Marketing
#IMSLC
@fitinbound