Storytelling for Copywriters
Good storytelling shouldn’t be relegated to fiction.
Welcome to storytelling for copywriters. Who am I? What are my credentials, you ask? Well, I’m a copywriter with Big Vision, an avid storyteller, and an actual lumberjack…I cut down a tree in October. It counts.
As a copywriter, I try to incorporate stories into my content. I try to engage readers on an emotional level by showing, not telling. Not all client work allows this freedom, but some does, and more should because storytelling is important. Here’s why.
We’re Wired for Stories
What would you remember more — the movie you saw last weekend, or the lecture you just heard on the function of white blood cells in the human body?
What experience is more engaging — the fantasy novel that ruins your sleep schedule, or an essay on how Nietzsche’s philosophies impacted modernity?
I’m betting it’s the movie. I’d put money on the novel. Why? Because the human brain is wired for storytelling.
Stories stimulate the mind. Two regions of our brain, the Broca’s area and Wernick’s area, interpret written language. We’ve known that for awhile. But over the past few years, neuroscientists have learned that stories activate other parts of the brain as well.
Words like funnel cake, peppermint tea, or burnt rubber engage your sensory cortex. You recall the smell and the words come alive. The same is true of words and metaphors that trigger your other senses, which is why the fiction-writing adage show, don’t tell is so important.
A Personal Story to Bring Home the Point
Awhile back I started a book about Nietzsche, the philosopher.
Keyword, started.
The author told me what philosophies influenced Nietzsche’s worldview. He told me a story from Nietzsche’s childhood. Not surprisingly, the words fell from the page like a leaf, withering and dying before they hit my eyes.
Suddenly I was overdue for a nap, and although I had never noticed before, my chair bore a striking resemblance to a Posturepedic mattress. My head drooped. Eyelids slammed shut. The book fell from my hands, never to be read again.
Granted, it was nonfiction. And about Nietzsche, no less. Am I demanding something of nonfiction that it wasn’t designed for? Maybe. But I stand by my thesis: good storytelling shouldn’t be relegated to fiction.
If only the author had given me something to taste, touch, smell, and feel, then I would have been engaged. And to this day, I’d have cool facts about Nietzsche I could use to impress my friends instead of a story about how I fell asleep.
Good Copywriters Turn Brands into Stories
Storytelling isn’t just for novelists. It’s the ingredient that refreshes dry, boring copy. It’s the crisp exhale of popping open a soda. It’s the defibrillation machine, kickstarting the heart of your brand.
So let’s start with the basics.
Certain things happen in almost every good story. You’ve probably noticed. Every story has a hero in some form or fashion. And there’s always conflict. A problem arises that the hero must overcome, but he/she can’t do it alone.
This is where the guide comes in. Be it Yoda, professor Xavier, or some revelation, the guide offers a solution to the hero’s problem. Depending on the story, there’s either a happy or tragic ending.
Hopefully the ending to your brand story is a happy one. It will be if it’s done the right way.
How to Tell Your Brand Story
The most important thing to remember is you are not the hero. Your customer is the hero.
You’re the guide, and your product/service is the solution to your customer’s problem. The hard part is presenting (not telling) this story consistently and effectively every time you communicate with your customer.
Stories make people decide if they like you. It’s the thing people connect with, buy into, and ultimately care about, whether they realize it or not.
If you need help telling a story with your brand and engaging your audience, contact our team today. We’re passionate about telling good stories and making brands better.
Learn more about Big Vision here, and if you’re curious about working together let us know!
