Your prospective customers want to know how your brand can help them survive and thrive. And they want to find out this information in the clearest way possible. Clarity is paramount. The last thing you want to do is confuse your audience because that’s the quickest way to lose them. In a world where video and video marketing is everywhere, how can you stand out and ensure your message is clear? Story does the trick.
Think about every book you’ve read, movie you’ve watched, or even commercial you’ve seen. Many of them most likely go a little something like this:
A character wants something and runs into a problem before they can get it.
A guide steps in to help them out, shows them a path forward, and gets them to take action (aka follow the plan).
Taking that action often allows them to avoid failure and succeed in their quest.
This pattern of storytelling can be seen over and over in the content we consume because it works. It’s been tried and tested decade after decade. So, how can you use it when you’re developing your video?
1. Cast Your Customer as the Hero & Your Brand as the Guide
Many brands view themselves as the hero of their own story. But in the example above, you can see that the main character, the hero, is flawed. They have or encounter a problem that stands in the way of them getting what they want. This role is much more reflective of your customers than of your brand.
When you cast your customer as the main character, you can then step in to help solve their problem taking them from failure to success. You can guide them on their path to transformation. If a hero could solve their own problems from the very beginning then there wouldn’t be a story. You, as the guide, makes all the difference.
Casting your brand as the guide allows you to build trust with your customers as you show them your expertise and empathize with the problem you can clearly see they’re facing.
2. Show Your Hero’s Transformation
Hero’s transform.The guide takes them from point A to point B. Point A is filled with problems and obstacles. Point B is filled with success. In your video, you can acknowledge the difficulties currently facing your hero and paint the picture of how life will look if they continue down the road they’re currently on. There’s no need to go very dark or fear-monger here, but a taste of the continued frustration and roadblocks adds stakes to your story.
People are ultimately motivated by loss aversion. So, this not only makes sense from a storytelling standpoint but from a behavioral economic standpoint as well. Prospect Theory in a nutshell states that folks are more likely to be dissatisfied with a loss than satisfied with a gain. In other words, people hate losing $100 more than they like gaining $100. By giving them a taste of what they’ll be losing out on they’ll be more receptive to what they could gain.
The last part of this transformation puzzle you can infuse into your video is showing them what life will be like when their transformation is complete - aka the success they’ll have when they work with you as their guide. This answers their questions of who they will become and how their lives will be altered for the better.
And lastly…
3. Call Them To Action
Your marketing video is the perfect way to step into your guide role and invite your audience to take the next step with you. Your call to action can look like many things, but overall it must be clear and concise. Invite them to visit your website, download your free guide, download an app, buy a specific product, give you a call, donate or fill out a form. At this point, they know who they are, they know how you can guide them, and they know what life will look with and without their transformation.
Hero’s rarely take action on their own. If they did, they’d be able to solve their own problem and there would be no compelling story. So, ending your video with a clear call to action can propel your audience into continuing their transformational story with you as their trusty guide.
There you have it! Three easy ways to incorporate effective storytelling into your next video. We hope you find them useful as you start to think about your next video project - large or small.
Want to dig even deepers?
Here at Talus Films, we uniquely work alongside our clients to build out your video ideas into a clear map that outlines how to execute your message, visuals, and story. We’re here for you! If you’re ready to create your next video that compels your audience, allows you to stand out from the crowd, and wins you more business, schedule a call with us today!
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