In the world of B2B technology marketing, it can be easy to get caught up in the technical details of your product or service. You might think that the best way to reach your audience is through dry technical explanations, product specifications, and statistics. After all, that’s what gets you excited about your product, right? However, there is an even more powerful tool at your disposal: the power of storytelling.
Everybody likes a good story and business storytelling is no different. It allows you to tell the story of your brand, your values, and your vision in a way that is relatable and engaging. By using storytelling in your B2B tech content marketing, you can create a more emotional connection with your audience, which can ultimately lead to more sales and greater brand loyalty.
Why Storytelling Works in B2B Tech Content Marketing
Storytelling works in B2B tech content marketing for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it allows you to tap into the emotional side of your audience. While B2B buyers may be focused on making rational purchasing decisions, they are still human beings with emotions and feelings. You don’t just do business with company X. You din business with John or Jane from company X. By telling a compelling story, you can appeal to their emotions and create a deeper connection that instills trust in both your product and your company.
Another reason why storytelling works in B2B tech content marketing is that it helps to differentiate your brand from your competitors. In fact, many marketing professionals claim it’s the only true differentiator for many industries and products.
When you tell a unique and compelling story, you are creating a brand identity and a voice that is distinct from everyone else in your industry. This can help you stand out in a crowded market and make your brand more memorable.
Finally, storytelling is a great way to simplify complex ideas and make them more accessible to your audience. B2B technology products and services can be complex and difficult to understand for the average person. By using storytelling to explain your product or service, you can make it more relatable and easier to understand for your audience.
Tips for Using Storytelling in B2B Tech Content Marketing
Now that you understand why storytelling is important in B2B tech content marketing, let’s take a look at some tips for using storytelling effectively.
1. Know Your Audience
Before you start crafting your story, you need to know who your audience is. What are their pain points? What challenges do they face? What motivates them? Understanding your audience is essential to create a story that resonates with them. Storytelling and content are the lesser-known part of conversion efforts, but they are undoubtedly one of the most important touch points. That’s why you need to step in your customer’s shoes, to begin with.
2. Make it Relevant
Your story should be relevant to your audience and your brand. It should tie into your brand values, mission, and vision. This is where most companies fail when they focus too much on features and specs.
The reality in the market is that a B2B client will rarely care about how shiny and capable your product is. They’ll want to solve a bigger issue. Whether it’s a cost-saving matter, a performance issue, or they just want to look good in front of their manager, you have a far greater chance of making a connection when you present them with a story they can relate to.
3. Keep it Simple
While storytelling is a great way to simplify complex ideas, you still need to keep your story simple and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms that your audience may not be familiar with. Some companies have very technical products and services they want to communicate about. The good news is there are specific content formats, like whitepapers, ebooks, and technical case studies that are better suited for long-form, technically rich information. It all boils down to where your customers are in the sales funnel. An accessible language however will always be a fail-safe way to engage them.
4. Be Authentic
Authenticity is key when it comes to storytelling. Your story should be true to your brand and your values. Don’t try to force a story that doesn’t feel genuine or authentic. This is a classic mistake that many companies make in an attempt to look appealing to customers and investors. Although it’s understandable (nobody likes to show their laundry), humans are naturally suspicious when something looks too good on paper. Authenticity is an essential part of human and business connection. We at Narrative Forge are big fans of telling it like it is. Every company has its ups and downs. Instead of hiding them under the rug, you can make them work for you. Through proper storytelling techniques, you can trigger the right emotional response from your prospects and help them connect with your company and mission.
Storytelling has been used in business for decades, with great success. In this Harvard Business interview, acclaimed Holywood director Robert McKee (you might know him from Forrest Gump and Sleepless in Seattle) shares examples of using his storytelling magic in the business environment. We recommended it for further reading.
Storytelling’s also something we at Narrative Forge firmly believe in as a foundation for strong business partnerships. When you tell your company’s story to a client or investor and get that nodding smile, you’ll know the chemistry there and you can move the discussion further.
If you need help telling your story or want to learn more about incorporating storytelling techniques in your messaging, book a call with our team.