When you hire a handyman (or woman) to replace a door in your home, you are buying their expertise. With years of installing doors, they know that sometimes homes settle, or door jams or floors aren’t level. But it is of the storytelling of their expertise, that we learn why we should spend our money to have them do the work. Stories help us learn about what you know and the expertise you gained over many years. Storytelling is a core competency for marketing in 2020.
When Chris showed up to replace my pantry doors, I knew from his videos on his website that he had replaced over forty doors in the last five years. His funny videos show him learning through experience the best way to get a door to hang perfectly. I know his story and the path of expertise he has traveled. He was the right person for the job and I knew he would do his level best to make me happy.
The reason I don’t do this work is that I have never hung a door, don’t have the right tools and frankly, don’t enjoy that type of work.
What Stories Are You Telling?
When a business tells a story about the past, customers learn how you earned your expertise.
- Are you telling the story of how your company spent years studying the behavior of consumers to know how to create a perfect air filter just for their home? Tell me a story of why your filter is better for me than the cheaper versions available everywhere.
- Have you outlined how you have guided your expertise? Tell prospects that by watching accountants engage with your tax preparation software, that led you to navigation that made accountant’s work even easier? Tell other accountants and tax preparers about the time you can save them with a simpler interface that quickly and accurately helps them to get their job done. Your story reinforces why I should trust and believe you.
- Is there a video you created walking a consumer through the step-by-step approach to using your expensive cappuccino machine and how you learned your barista skills? The story you tell them about your training reinforces how you can help them achieve latte perfection.
Why Should I Buy from You
We often forget the years of training, study, and expertise that went into our products and services. Our new clients are clueless as to why they should buy from us because they don’t know our history. When you tell a relevant story of how you created a better mousetrap, people listen. They learn. And, by explaining the journey you have traveled, customers develop trust that you are the right fit for their need.
Jeff Lebesch, founder of Belgium Beers origin story is well told throughout their business to explain why they have expertise about this type of brew.
Marketing starts with a story of why and explanation of the bumpy road of failures that led you to a better product delivering just the experience they want. Storytelling is the tactic to help explain what job your product or service will do for them.
How are you telling your story of why you should be hired?
Does your business need a marketing coach, guide, or sherpa? Are you generating enough leads? Is your marketing underperforming? I can help.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Our initial conversation is free. You talk, I listen. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com or call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com Let’s explore working together today.
Photo by Annie Gray on Unsplash
