A to Z of Marketing: S is for Storytelling

Last weekend CBS Sunday Morning ran a profile of an elderly gentleman who has won car shows across the country. He doesn’t have the fastest car or the shiniest car, and he certainly doesn’t have the newest car. Frankly, it looks like a step above the Model T.

So why does he keep winning? Answer is, the story. The car might not have significant monetary value, but its story is priceless. A widower, this elderly man uses the car to keep memories of his late wife alive.

It picked up his wife on their first date more than six decades ago. It still holds the engraving from where she carved her name in the steering wheel. It has driven children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and now it’s come full circle. A man and his car -alone again.

We say it a lot here at Marketing Genius, but it’s worth saying again: All good marketing is storytelling.

So, what’s the story behind your product? Is it compelling? Does it make people care? Author Jeffrey Gitomer says that the heart and the wallet are connected. If you pull on people’s heartstrings, their wallet pops out. Blunt truth… but truth nonetheless.