A friend of mine recently bought $38 leggings for her 6-month-old baby. Other than the cute pattern, they’re not much different from the cotton leggings you can find at most big box stores or baby clothing retailers for waaay less. Her daughter will outgrow them in about three months, maybe four, yet she decided they were worth the price anyway. What could have caused her to find that much value in this product?

STORYTELLING

The shop she purchased from wasn’t just selling baby leggings. One look at their message and imagery online and it’s evident that they’re selling the experience. You see the mom and daughter, the cuddly moments, the laughter, nurture, and play. You read about deep love, the limitless dreams for your child, and the uniqueness of something handmade from one mom to another. She bought into the feeling and doesn’t regret a single penny spent.

IT’S NOT THE LATEST CATCHPHRASE

Brand storytelling is the value of our products and services that goes beyond the sticker price. We perceive that something is worth a certain value because of our beliefs about the company selling it and how we expect the product or service to impact our lives. What story do your customers believe about your business? What can you do about it?

5 SUGGESTIONS FOR TELLING YOUR STORY ONLINE

1. Step outside yourself. You have certain assumptions and beliefs about your company, your products, and services. But do you know if this is the same story that your customers believe? Step outside of what you know to be true and figure out what’s being told beyond your corporate walls.
2. Know your audience. Focusing on a target customer is a critical step. You’ll never be everything to everyone, so figure out exactly who is your best customer and work to deeply understand them. What motivates them? Why would they purchase your product? What value are they truly looking for?
3. Understand what you’re really selling. You may have online accounting services available to purchase on your website, but what you’re really selling is the convenience, saving time and more money in your customer’s pocket. Figure out what your service does to change your customer’s life and you’ll know a lot more about what you sell.
4. Make your customer #1. Your customer should always play the lead role and your product the supporting character. Photos and videos on your website should feature people meaningfully interacting with your product or service as they would in real life, not just a hero shot of your latest offering.
5. Write with meaning. Your customer will find your product specs on the appropriate page if, and only IF, they connect with your initial message. Write like you’re speaking directly to your target customer. Tell them about the experience, not the specs.

We all believe a story about the products we purchase, the services we use and the companies that offer them. It’s easy to default to talking about features and specs, pricing and promotion, but a better way is to focus on telling the story. That’s how you make a lasting connection with your target audience and increase perceived value.