Try as we may to deny or suppress our most primal instincts, when it’s all said and done, resistance is futile. That’s because inherently, hard as he may try—in one way or another—man will always respond to his most basic needs, interests, and desires. It’s embedded in our DNA to do so.
You could make a great living in psychology by studying human behavior to understand what people do, why they do it, and how likely they are to do it again.
But it doesn’t take a psychologist to understand that every human being on the planet is drawn to one particular thing. Sadly, one in five businesses do not provide that one thing to customers. As for those that do, a recent survey revealed that consumers are 65% more likely to purchase from their business because of it.
What drives consumers to buy
Coming off the stupendous success of his sophomore album, The Slim Shady LP. On May 23rd, 2000, rapper Eminem released his third studio album titled, The Marshall Mathers LP. And while Em’s fans enjoyed the album’s first two singles, there was one particular song that stood out from the other tracks on the album so much so—fans demanded that it be made a single as well.
Although it took awhile, in November of 2000, fans finally got their wish when Aftermath/Interscope (the labels Em were signed to) officially released the song Stan featuring Dido, as the third single off The Marshall Mathers LP.
First premiering on MTV, the music video for the song astonished fans; spending several weeks at No. 1 on MTV's TRL music video countdown show.
Stan would go on to receive rave reviews from critics as well; winning Entertainment Weekly’s Single of The Year for 2000. The success of the song would also play an integral role in The Marshall Mathers LP going diamond; selling over 10 million units and eventually helping catapult Eminem to become the highest selling hip-hop artist of all time.
But just what was it about the song that appealed to fans so much? Stan appealed to a massive audience not because Eminem is one of the dopest lyricists to ever pick up a microphone. Or because the beat slapped so hard through speakers.
The reason why Stan resonated with millions of people around the planet is because it contains something that inherently appeals to every person on the planet and what also drives consumers towards brands, businesses, and products—a great story.
And the survey says…
In a 2023 consumer survey conducted by GoDaddy, 65% of respondents said that they are more likely to make a purchase from a business if they knew its personal story. This data should come as no surprise for reasons previously stated—humans are inherently drawn to stories.
The same survey also revealed that one in five businesses do not share their personal story at all.
Nonetheless, while the vast majority of consumers are more likely to buy from your business if they know its personal story, that story must also be compelling and actually shared with your audience. Let’s discuss how you could do that.
How to tell a compelling personal story
A cool thing about knowing that consumers are anticipating receiving the story of your business, is that every business already has its own personal story. The key is simply telling that story in a way that compels your audience to want to support your business because its story resonates with them on an emotional level.
The first step in doing that is by understanding the people who your story is for—your target audience.
“No story is for everyone. And if you’re going to make an impact, it’s important to know who your stories are for.” Says author Bernadette Jiwa, author of the book, What Great Storytellers Know. “When we understand the audience’s world view, we can tell stories that resonate more deeply with them.”
If you already understand your target audience and what resonates with them, you can now begin crafting the personal story of your business. But in order for that story to be compelling, the story must contain “The Five W’s.”
Which consists of informing your audience of the following details:
Who - Is your business for?
What - Does it have to offer to help make their lives better?
When - Was it created?
Where - Can they find it?
Why - Did you create it?
Once your story addresses and answers those five questions; be sure to share it on your company’s website, its marketing materials, as well as on its social media pages and in any interviews that you may conduct to promote the company.
Let us help you share the story of your business
We understand that devising and sharing a compelling personal story about your business isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. At Decryption, we specialize in helping startups like yours create and share compelling narratives that will intrigue, inform, and attract their target audience.
But the only way we can do that is if your company becomes a Decryption client. So contact us today and schedule a client meeting so we could begin decrypting your startup's best narrative to help your company connect with its target customers on an emotional level.