Show, Don’t Tell Us - Storytelling in a Digital Age
“Show, don’t tell us!” These are words of wisdom given to us by creative writing prompts and performance directors.
The meaning behind this powerful statement is to help your audience see the value in what you are producing through the experience of actions, thoughts, senses, and feelings rather than a generic verbal explanation. An equally important statement in marketing, for attracting and converting customers. This approach will optimize your digital branding strategy!
Your digital marketing strategy shouldn’t just include information or a “talk track”, it should include a multitude of elements such as data, testimonials, videos, infographics, webinars, live streams, podcasts, and more. Multiple forms of outreach to tell your company vision, values, and voice across platforms!
This strategy helps attract and stimulate your audience visually and audibly with the goal of bringing value in what you do with the benefits of your product or service.
Still confused with the premise of “Show, don’t tell?” Hopefully not! But here’s an example that may help you define and refine this process - “Do you know why the universe didn’t allow our pets to speak? To teach us that love and loyalty come through action, not words.” If that previous quote didn’t resonate with you, this one sure did! At some point people get tired of hearing the phrase “I love you” and want to experience acts of appreciation!
Companies are slowly hopping on the bandwagon in realizing the worth of multimedia as a digital marketing strategy. As mentioned before, it’s ultimately used as a tool to convey the company’s vision, values, and voice. Developing a strategy that uses multiple facets of media, across various platforms shows the consumer more than you could simply tell them.
Often, people need to see it with their own eyes, experience it to some degree, and be emotionally driven to purchase or support.
Here are a few ways to boost credibility within your respective industry and create a powerful digital presence surrounding your brand.
Video Testimonials:
Film testimonials for your website and social media presence. Visually connecting with past customers/clients/patients is a great way to prove that the “claims” you make about your products or services are true. Video testimonials give people easily digestible content that visually compels new customers to imagine what their own experience might be like.
Social Media Content:
We shouldn’t have to explain this one, but developing an annual social media content strategy is imperative. It keeps your audience engaged, updated, and makes your company look involved and active. Neglecting to post regularly on social media is comparable to disappearing off the face of the earth. Develop a strategy, create campaigns throughout the year, and stay engaged.
Livestreams and Webinars:
Livestreams and webinars are considered long format media that can often be overlooked as a strategy, due to being tedious by nature. But as a company, reflect and realize that most customers/clients/patients/etc have questions, desire to be educated, or want to interact with the community your company has built on a digital forum.
All of these strategies are great tools to attract customers, expand on your specialty, connect to your audience on a personal level, and ultimately convert customers.