Corporate communication and Storytelling
Corporate communication is to align
internal and external communications to create a value to stakeholders; it is
also responsible for company’s reputation, replacing public relations.
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(Kommunikation, Spiecker 2013)
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The basis of Storytelling
In order to have a great
communication, the company must understand its history and its value. It’s not
enough to show numbers and facts of how they got where they are, they must
engage their audience with emotions and there is where storytelling takes
place.
Storytelling is an art of telling
sequence events, usually to educate the audience about an event, story or fact.
The greatest stories involve, arouse emotions, build empathy and connect the
audience.
In today’s world we have easy
access to all kind of information, therefore if a company really wants to bond,
it should create a more deep connection, and trust through emotional values.
Some companies have understood the
power of storytelling and are using it for their advantage, perhaps as their
main marketing tool. Today storyteller is very important position for
successful companies; the new job tittle is CSO (chief storyteller officer).
Storytellers vs. storydoers:
According to Ty Montague, there
are two types of companies: storytellers and storydoers. Both companies succeed
in spreading their message effectively however; storydoers put action in their narratives.
Storydoing companies
characteristics:
1
They
have a story
2
The
story is about a larger ambition to make the world or people’s lives better
3
The
story is understood and cared about by senior leadership outside of marketing
4
That
story is being used to drive tangible action throughout the company: product
development, HR policies, compensation, etc.
5
These
actions add back up to a cohesive whole
Customers and partners are motivated to engage with the story and are
actively using it to advance their own stories. (Montague, TY, 16 july, 2013)
Examples: GoPro, Red Bull, Walt
Disney, Starbucks, American Express, Apple and IBM.
By adding action to their storytelling
strategies those companies are able to connect with their audience in a higher
level, making them more profitable. The storydoers are able to expend less and
get more visibility because their customers are part of the stories and happy
to share it.
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(Montague, TY, 16 july, 2013)
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"Nelson Mandela told a story about what post-apartheid Africa
could look like. That story was persuasive enough to promote change, and it
became reality. JFK told a story about putting man on the Moon, and it inspired
people and came to pass. These types of huge events were built on
stories."
(Grothaus, Michael 2015)
10 principles of great brand storytelling:
- find your why: the best brands focus not on what they do or how they do it, but why they do it. Find your why and you’ve found your story. Transcend category by focusing on your role in people’s lives. Compelling brand stories speak to values, to what your brand stands for and why it exists.
- it's not (all) about you:Stop focusing on what you want to say and start listening to what your audiences want to talk about.
- Insights inspire ideas:Know your consumer as well as you know yourself. Data-driven insights and intelligence are fuel for creativity, insuring that ideas aren’t just cool but connected to business challenges and relevant to consumers.
- go all the way:Stories should be at the heart, not the tail, of your marketing plan. Once the narrative is decided, it should be surrounded and amplified in all communications channels.
- be social at the core:Putting a story in the marketplace is not the end, it’s the beginning. Consumers want a role. They want to be advocates for the brands and products they choose. Branded content can deliver on the promise of a two-way conversation and deeper relationship that can turn customers into loyalists, and evangelists. Make sure your content can be discovered, shared and shaped.
- don't post and pray:Understand how you will use owned, paid and earned channels to get your message out. It’s not about content vs. distribution; it’s about getting both right.
- be authentic:Live the stories that you tell.
- be the expert:Your brand has expertise in a topic that can add value to people’s lives.
- loosen you grip:Brands still need to look after their interests, but the reality is that a brand is poured through multiple filters, including those of fans and detractors.
- expect results:Storytelling must be accountable marketing. Define clear business objectives going in so they can be measured coming out.
(Donaton, Scott, 20 september 2013)
Effective(s) story storytelling:
Dolan, Gabrielle, and Naidu, Yamini. Hooked : How Leaders Inspire, Connect and Engage with Storytelling. Somerset, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 28 January 2016.
Donaton, Scott, 2013. The 10 commandments of content. Fast co Create. URL:
Fryer, Bronwyn 2003. Storytelling that moves people. Harvard Business Review URL:
Gillett, Rachel, 2014. Why our brains grave storytelling in marketing. Fast company. URL:
Grothaus, Michael, 2015. Why companies need novelists. Fast company. URL:
Hausmaan, Clay, 2014. The age old and often ignore marketing tool every company needs to know. Fast Company URL: http://www.fastcompany.com/3031964/the-age-old-and-often-ignored-marketing-tool-every-company-needs-to-know
Montague, Ty, 2013. Good companies are storytellers, great companies are storydoers. Harvard Business Review. URL:
Pietrucha, Frank J.. Supercommunicator : Explaining the Complicated So Anyone Can Understand. Saranac Lake, NY, USA: AMACOM Books, 2014. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 28 January 2016.
Kommunikation, Spiecker, 2013. Corporate communication. URL:
