Once upon a story

By Chris Haycock | 07 February 2022

Using stories in marketing copy can be astonishingly powerful - and really easy to do once you've got used to writing in a particular way.

Once upon a time there was a young, timid 20-something boy who got the job of his dreams: designing awful-looking websites for businesses that could only afford the cheaper option.

It was a false economy. Those businesses would end up paying more for a decent designer later on. 

But for the boy, he was chuckling his way to the bank. His ZX Spectrum coding skills had paid off. 

Day-by-day, pixel-by-pixel, he got better at his job. So good, in fact, that he was handed a more powerful role. A job that had far more responsibility.

A role that required him to write marketing copy.

He felt mighty, like Simba on Pride Rock, casting his regal gaze over his kingdom. 

For the next 5 years the boy spent his time writing fluffy marketing speak, sprinkled with acronyms, buzz-words, and gobbledegook.

He wanted to sound clever by using words that no one truly understood. 

In his eyes, it made him sound like he was some kind of guru. 

"Wowing" his readership with his grasp of marketing-speak was his ultimate goal. 

He lay awake at night, dreaming of fancy words to convey the amazing features of the products he was tasked to sell.

The resulting poor sales were quickly swept under the office tiles.

He didn't want anyone to know that his methods didn't actually work. 

One day, whilst dreaming up a new acronym (that absolutely no one would understand), the boy stumbled across something that piqued his curiosity.

If true, his life would never be the same again.

He put it into action. Sales rose.

But better - profits soared.

His heart pumped fast. Could this be the winning formula? 

His boss was full of praise. This technique was explosive. His subsequent pay rise was used for all manner of things: late night parties, casinos, extra trips to sunny destinations, and fancy meals at exclusive restaurants.

One day, he decided to tell his best friends the secret method.

It was devilishly simple.

But oh-so effective… 

Stories. 

You see, what this boy learned was that using stories in marketing copy can be astonishingly powerful.

No more vomit-inducing "our products are uniquely designed to bring synergy to your organisation" copy. Quick, grab the sick bag. 

Out went the corporate speak. In came a relaxed, almost conversational-type copy, peppered with little stories and descriptive adjectives that hooked the reader in.

That boy discovered how powerful stories are, when they were weaved into his marketing copy.

That boy was me. 

When you combine stories into a relaxed and informal conversation (ie your "copy"), it makes it more human. It's far more relatable for the reader. And it packs more of a punch too. 

Try it. It will transform your marketing forever. 

This week is National Storytelling Week. Why not spend a little time weaving a bit of magic into your business by using the power of stories in your marketing?

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