the science of storytelling: how customer storytelling can transform your company

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THE SCIENCE OF STORYTELLING

Webinar video and presentation deck will be available later today

StoryBox Kickoff Webinar

Part 2: 10.30.14 @ 11am PT

What do you want to hear about?

BEFORE WE BEGIN

Jake CerfProduct Marketing Manager @ StoryBox@jakecerf

Justin M. NassiriFounder & Chief Storyteller @ StoryBox@jnassiri1

IntroductionsYour guides for today’s conversation

Today’s Goal

• To leran how you can use customre storytelling to better engage your community, drive sales, and increase referrals

Image: Something similar to Hubspot’s

TODAY’S GOAL:To learn how to use customer storytelling to engage your community, drive sales, and increase referrals

AGENDA

1 The power of storytelling

2 What is customer storytelling?

3 Elements of successful storytelling

4 Next steps

1 THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

We are all storytellers by nature

Our earliest times are preserved in story

Storytelling has played a critical role throughout history

Storytelling evolved along with the humanity

Stories have the potential to unite and transform the world

Today a single tweet can affect continents

Stories are:

1. Inherently accessible

2. Profoundly retained

3. More likely to be shared

Stories resonate with us on a deeply emotional level

63% of people remember stories Only 5% remember statistics* Source: How to Make Ideas Stick, Dan & Chip Heath

If you want a prospect, give a sales pitch.

If you want a relationship, share a story.

2WHAT IS CUSTOMER STORYTELLING ?

stôrē/teliNG/

A company’s practice of empowering its community to share their unique experience with the world

Customer stories are more powerful than any ad

Quantity Trust

Access Sharability

3 ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL STORYTELLING

A WAY TO SHARE1WHAT THEY WANT TO SHARE2A REASON TO SHARE3A PLACE TO SHARE4STORY COACHING5

STORY BUILDING BLOCKS:

SPOTLIGHTING CUSTOMERS6

GIVE CUSTOMERS A MEANS TO TELL THEIR STORY.1

81%

50%

25%

10%

Willingness to Participate

• People differ in how they would like to share their story

• People are affected differently by viewing different types of content

To maximize impact and participation, provide multiple ways to participate

Source: StoryBox client data

Impact on KPIs

Coming soon:Part 210.30.13

Source: StoryBox client data

Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty-- Theodore Roosevelt

DISCOVER WHAT TYPE OF STORY THEY’D LIKE TO TELL.2

Contests Advice & Opinions

Testimonials & Reviews Storytelling

4 Customer Stories Types

• What stories are they telling their friends?

• What stories are they sharing with you?

• Test on social

• Consider the tangential

The story you want may not be the story your community wants to tell

GIVE THEM A REASON TO SHARE.3

GIVE THEM A REASON TO SHARE.3

Would you share your opinion for free?

“Free” might be enough for your company

Source: StoryBox client data

If it is:• Automated post-

purchase emails

• Confirmation page

• Display on homepage

• Weekly social posts

• Start with contest

% Willing to share for free

Star Rating 67%

Written Review 27%

Photo 22%

Video 8%

There’s not enough money in the world to cause me to share in

this way.

Source: StoryBox client data

“Couldn’t pay me

enough”

Star Rating 4%

Written Review 4%

Photo 11%

Video 17%

The more personal exposure required, the higher the aversion

• Some people will avoid certain mediums regardless of the incentive required

• You don’t know which customers are open to which medium – best to include all

Quick Poll!

What’s the minimum incentive it would take to get you to share?

Most people are willing to participate if the price is right

Source: StoryBox client data

• People’s time are valuable – most expect to be compensated in some way

• On average, men require 17% more money to share their opinion

Avg. incentive required

Star Rating $22.78

Written Review $49.85

Photo $60.85

Video $126.13

People are influenced in different ways

How likely would you be to share your opinion in exchange for each of the following

Incentives vary by community, but some trends exist

Source: StoryBox client data

• Free products, product discounts, and sweepstakes are consistent motivators

Free Product

($25)

15% Discoun

t

Sweep-stakes

($5,000)

Star Rating 61% 50% 44%

Written Review 64% 48% 42%

Photo 58% 40% 38%

Video 53% 28% 40%

What’s the minimum incentive it would take to get you to share?

Source: StoryBox client data

• TV incentive attracts more photo and video participants

• Know what motivates each part of your community

Incentives

4 Free Shipping

5 T-Shirt

6 Featured on .com

7 Featured on TV

Be creative – there are many ways to reward you fans

Tip #1:Seed content for social proof & examples

Tip #2:Reduce procrastination with limited time offers and early bird specials

Tip #3:Stories spark more stories

HELP THEM CRAFT & TELL HIGH QUALITY STORIES.4

• Example content

• Timely feedback on submissions

• Brief explanations in all solicitation locations

• Tutorial video

Provide simple guidelines:

PROVIDING A PLACE FOR THEM TO SHARE THEIR STORY.5

Personal Email It’s all about how you ask for content

Source: StoryBox client data

42%

29%

30%

Less LikelyNeutralMore Likely

Newsletter

• Dedicated, personalized emails are most effective

• 3 email cadence

• Newsletters dependent on placement and competing CTAs

12%

11%

77%

Less LikelyNeutralMore Likely

Additional ways to invite:• Product packaging

• Website Homepage

• Facebook post

• Tweets

• Ads

Multiple parts working in unison will maximize participation

MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL LIKE ROCKSTARS6

If your opinion were featured in an ad, would you be more or likely to

participate?

We all want our 10 seconds of fame

Source: StoryBox client data

• 74% of people would be more likely to share or unaffected

• You have everything to gain and little to lose by featuring your customers frequently

26%

32%

42% Less LikelyNeutralMore Likely

If a friend shared an opinion about a product or service, would you be more

or less likely to share your own?

Stories lead to more stories

Source: StoryBox client data

• 92% of people would be more likely to share or unaffected

• Social proof can be a powerful – and free – tool of influence

8%

55%

37%Less LikelyNeutralMore Likely

People remember stories more than anything else

1

Customers share their stories in different ways2

Reward your community for sharing their story today3

Provide examples and guidelines to receive quality stories

4

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

GIVE CUSTOMERS A MEANS TO TELL THEIR STORY.QUESTIONS?

We are all storytellers by nature

• Seed content

• Timely feedback on submissions

• Brief explanations in all solicitation locations

• Tutorial video

Other tips to consider: