{"id":54667,"date":"2022-09-15T18:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T22:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=54667"},"modified":"2022-09-15T23:41:35","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T03:41:35","slug":"storytelling-customer-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/storytelling-customer-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Impact of Storytelling on Customer Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ready for a sad-but-true story?<\/p>\n

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Trust for all sources of information have recently hit record lows, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer<\/a>. The 21st annual survey of 33,000 respondents did find people trust business more than government in many countries, yet brands still have a lot of work to do. That\u2019s where storytelling can come in handy. This article explores the impact of storytelling on customer experience.<\/p>\n

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Trust<\/a> drives spending, according to Edelman\u2019s research findings. \u201cThe reality: Highly trusted brands are seven times more likely to be purchased.\u201d This was particularly true for younger customers. Among respondents aged 18-34, 75% agreed it was more important to be able to trust the brands they buy or use today than in the past.<\/p>\n

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These findings prompt the question: How does the business build trust<\/a>? Earned media was the number one most effective influencer (48%). Brand media and advertising followed (44% and 41%) with influencers and social media (38% and 34%) rounding out the top five. But how is that media coverage earned? Or how does a business get people to engage with its own brand media? Try storytelling.<\/p>\n

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\"What's<\/a><\/p>\n

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Brand storytelling is a big focus right now in business. Yet, you may have missed the Journal of Brand Management<\/a> academic study that set out to actually study the impact of story on customer brand experiences. An existing brand that had not yet been launched in the country of the research was presented to two different groups. One group of consumers was told the firm\u2019s brand story. The other was not.<\/p>\n

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The researchers concluded, \u201cThe comparison revealed remarkable differences between the two groups. Consumers who were exposed to the story described the brand in much more positive terms and were willing to pay more for the product.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Storytelling in customer interactions<\/h2>\n

Customers today interact with brands at multiple touchpoints, online and offline. They are bombarded with brand messaging. And they expect it to speak to them personally and address their unique needs. It makes things challenging for sales and marketing.<\/p>\n

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Storytelling, though, prompts a deeper customer connection. As Marketing Evolution<\/a> puts it, storytelling has more impact by \u201cillustrating points about a brand\u2019s history, offerings, customers, or experience in its industry through a narrative tale instead of outlining the black and white points.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Humans love stories<\/a>. Brands can leverage this simple truth to:<\/p>\n

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