Think about it.
I’m somewhat reticent to admit that I hadn’t done so earlier, but I finally plowed through one of the modern marketing classics, if you will, All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin. I should note, however, the book I purchased was actually renamed All Marketers Tell Stories. With this small yet symbolic edit, Godin hits the nail on the head. It’s what we as marketers and PR professionals do … if we do our jobs right. As marketers, we “sell” stories every day. And as consumers, we believe (some of) them.
The pressures of an increasingly crowded marketplace weigh heavily on companies and consumers alike. Suppliers compete in a veritable rat race and consumers are faced with a near-paralyzing amount of choices. Godin reminds us that many times it’s not the features of products or services that make or break a sale, it’s the story — be it the brand promise, the experience it entails or the emotion it evokes — that resonates (or, in some cases, fails to resonate) with consumers.
Forget marginal improvements on competitor positioning or offerings. When it comes to effective storytelling, there is one non-negotiable: originality. Play in your own sandbox. Be your own company. Create the purple cow. (Another Godin-ism about creating and marketing products that stand out from the everyday.)
This time of year, it’s easy to see how effortlessly some marketing initiatives fade into the abyss of white noise that consumers are exposed to day after day. But it’s also the perfect time for a reminder about the importance of authentic, original storytelling.
What’s your story?