Become A Storyteller

Microsoft recently found that humans have a shorter attention span than goldfish. What is blamed for this? Smartphones! We all know how addicting smartphones can be – and it’s clear that they’ve made us much less receptive to marketing messages. While we are exposed to thousands of them every day, we can easily pick and choose where to give our attention. In order to get your message across, you need to stand out from the rest. The best way to do this in an organic and authentic way is through storytelling!

One way that we commonly see our dealer customers telling a story to market their dealership is through social media posts that celebrate purchases. As an example, take a look at this screenshot from Beach House Harley-Davidson’s Facebook page. It’s simple but effective: A congratulations statement and well wishes for a customer. Not only does this reinforce the positive feeling that customer felt walked away from the dealership with their new unit, but it also encourages your other followers to consider making a purchase themselves.

• You’ve heard it in our blog posts time and time again, but according to an article by MarketingProfs, images and user-generated content are two of the best ways to go about marketing and storytelling with your brand. These types of visual media help to create emotional and personal connections with customers.
• Invoking a sense of authenticity by showcasing real people with real stories to tell about your business is a recommended strategy.
• The article mentioned above also recommends a “showing rather than telling” tactic in this type of marketing. Again, this ties back to using images and other types of user-generated content.

As detailed by a reporter for one of our favorite publications as Oregonians, the Portland Business Journal, there are three focus points for designing a business and brand that will stand out to consumers:

• Share your “why,” or your story: Why are you passionate about what your business provides? What do you want to share with consumers?
• Consistency & engagement with your audience: Uncover your brand’s personality. Attract your ideal audience by knowing who it is you are reaching and answering to their questions and needs.
• Recognition: Along with personality, your business has a certain style. In regards to your dealership’s logo and/or website design, consider things like color and layout and how they will attract your audience. Align the goals of your business to your presentation both online and in person.

The major takeaway from this notion of “storytelling” to market your dealership - Never lose sight that your consumers want and need some sort of personal connection to your brand in order for you to keep their business. Tying back into the frequent use of smartphones in today’s world, it is becoming more likely that people access social media channels through a smartphone or other mobile device, only increasing the likelihood that future customers will interact with your brand in this way. Use that new reality to your advantage! Engage with those who’ve chosen to follow your brand, and draw new consumers in on the same platform.

Good luck & happy storytelling!

Thank you to MarketingProfs and the Portland Business Journal as sources of inspiration and fact-checking for this blog post.