Tell me a Story

Marketing, according to the American Marketing Association, is the "activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large."

That sounds so dry, doesn’t it? But, when you get down to it, it’s just a long way of saying “marketing is communicating a story.” Whether that’s to the salespeople who have to sell your products, or if it’s to the people following you online, growing a brand just means bringing people into your realm, your storyline, and including them in the plot. How you do it is what sets you apart from the others.

Thing is, marketing is an intelligent discipline - it involves strategy, analysis, research, and developing a value based contract with all parties. And, while some of that involves social media marketing, there’s actually a slew of additional elements and tools essential to brand growth that have nothing to do with the number of followers you have on Instagram.

However, if social media is your main outlet, and you’re struggling to tell your story, there is one truly simple way to help create some consistent, original content. Marketing on the cheap, or bite-size, if you will. It entails creating several talking points that stem from the main narrative. This develops into a story that explores your products, sense of place, values and goals, and connects with the wider community.

Write down the top five reasons someone should buy from you - whatever you sell, provide, deliver, create, trade, whatever - and the top five reasons you wanted to do what you do. You can write that in whichever tense works - past or present - but be consistent. Write a few variations of each one, and use them as social media posts.

Do you love crocheting pot covers because when you were a kid you had no friends and that's all you did was crochet with your granny at home? Write that ish down. Do you love featuring stuffed peppers on your menu because it was the first dish you learned to cook? Write that ish down. Are you located in a renovated warehouse once occupied by the mob? You know what time it is.

And, don’t forget, spellcheck is your friend, friend!