Video Storytelling: Humanising Business for Emotional Impact

free video coaching Jan 25, 2022

Business is booming online. You type key words on Google Search and your website comes up on the list along with the rest of similar shops or agencies that sell the same products or services as you do. So how exactly do you stand out in all the noise?

Instead of focusing on what you’re selling and how people are gonna buy or reach out to you, it’s time to focus on the why. Because by the time people search for products or services online, they already know what they want. What they don’t know is why they should buy from you. Why should they trust you? 

What you need is a good old-fashioned strategy: Tell them a story. And a story told on a video makes it a more powerful marketing tool. 

 

The Power of Stories

 

“As humans, we’re not only hardwired to tell stories. We’re hardwired to listen to stories, and we actually listen to them differently. And we sort of suspend judgment because we hear a story." -- Gabrielle Dolan (Founder of Jargon Free Sundays, author of Magnetic Stories: Connect with Customers and Engage Employees with Brand Storytelling and six more books on business storytelling), Video Made Simple podcast episode with Chris Schwager. 

Story told through videos removes stereotypes especially if your trade is property, legal, or financial services, which can come off as cold topics that people steer clear from. By documenting your journey, sharing personal experience and being vulnerable, you are humanising your business. And that’s exactly what we’re looking for – the emotional connection.

But what role exactly do emotions play in marketing?

 

How Emotions Drive People To Act 

 

People buy on emotion.  In the book Descartes’ Error, Antonio Damasio states that emotion is a key ingredient to making decisions. The most important characteristic is that it pushes us towards actions. Just like people who fear speaking in public. When placed on the spot, fear makes them stammer through their message or reject the task altogether. The decision is almost like an instant reaction.

An article on Psychology Today states that emotions play a primary role in preferring brand-name products. The more emotional content a brand shows, the more likely the consumer will be a loyal user.

 

According to Hubspot, these emotions can encourage specific activities that can help grow your business brand.

  • Happiness makes us share and that leads to brand awareness.
  • Sadness makes us empathize and that leads to increased giving.
  • Surprise and fear makes us cling to what’s comfortable and that leads to increased brand loyalty.
  • Anger and passion make us stubborn and leads to viral content and loyal followers.

Now that you know the emotional aspect of storytelling, it's time to make your own. 

 

Tips How To Create Effective Storytelling

 

 

Know your audience.

Who are you speaking to? Why do they care? What problems are they struggling with that you relate to? By understanding the person you're talking to, the more solid your message will be.

 

Follow a structure.

Make sure your script follows a basic flow: a beginning, a middle, and an end. State the problem which you intend to solve. Provide a solution that your service or product will be able to offer. Visualise the result that you want your customers to enjoy. And don't forget the call to action. 

 

Let your videos speak

It's a classic case of show, don't tell, and will work best if you have a script at hand. This way, you will understand the balance between visuals and script. This is also the part where you can go creative with your concepts. But don't forget the message that you want to say. If it's better to show, then it's more logical to let the film roll. 

 

One topic at a time.

As you brainstorm, you will be able to draw lots of ideas and plans. In the mess of it all, these concepts can get entangled, and your message lost. It's advisable to keep just one topic per story, so you can focus all your efforts in delivering that story. After all, if you manage to capture their interest for one minute, they'll be more encouraged to check other videos on your website. This way, you can tackle difficult topics such as content on financial services  without losing their attention.

 

Consult an expert. 

People can tell stories. Your neighbor can definitely tell you stories that can keep you up all night. You can write them too. But if you want to know more about how to master storytelling for your marketing campaigns, it's best to invest in workshops or speak to a professional. This way, you can stop second-guessing or go though try-and-error route. There is a much faster route to get you the skills that you need.

Now that you have an idea what goes behind the scenes of storytelling and what kind of impact it leads to your consumers, are you ready to tell your story for your business?

 

Written by:

Christine Camarillo

 


 

Ready to create your own videos without the hassle? Go to ridgefilms.com.au/diy and check out how to professionally produce your own Do It Yourself videos.

 

 

 

 

 Chris Schwager

Chris Schwager is an Inbound Video Marketing Specialist with 20+ year history as a Video Director, Script Writer and Presenter as well as a regular Podcast Host and video coach. He's on a mission to change how Corporate Organisations, Government & Small Businesses use DIY and professional videos to improve communication, leads and sales.

 

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