Bob, an exhibitor, sighed as he rushed to finish packing up his display in order to catch his flight home. He couldn’t wait to get out of there. It had been his worst show to date; he was sure.
Just then, Mark, another exhibitor just a couple of booths away, caught his eye and waved to him as he headed out. “That was the best show ever! See you at the next one!” Mark exclaimed. Bob stared in disbelief as Mark raced off.
There’s a Bob and Mark playing and replaying this scene every week at trade shows around the country.
Question: What did Mark do that caused him to have such success?
The answer is that Mark chose to build his exhibit, his graphics, his pre-show marketing, his in-booth demos and presentations, and EVERYTHING around stories: success stories, customer stories, stories about company history and culture. Smart marketers build experiences around stories to engage interest and compel action.
Think about the story just told – which exhibitor do you want to be? Most likely, Mark – the one who said that it was the best show ever!
Why? Because we all identify with Mark and Bob. We’ve been in their shoes. We all want to be a winner like Mark. A hero for a day. Mark and Bob’s story elicited an emotional response and our emotions drive decisions.
We have all heard that a picture is worth a 1,000 words. A compelling story is the equivalent to a 1,000 pictures and can have a tremendous impact on the emotional level where buying decisions reside. By telling an irresistible story, you are using a model that differentiates you from the competition.
Features, benefits and pricing all factor into the decision making process. But it is our emotions that make the final determination.
The power of storytelling is a topic I’ll explore in the next few blogs. What does it take to craft a stellar story? Stay tuned, and you’ll find the answer here.