Tell A Marketing Tale In Eight Words Or Less
Once upon a time, marketers thought they had to tell every single detail about their product or service in order to resonate to consumers. Well, forget that same old wives’ tale. According to MarketingProfs.com, the most effective and impactful way to communicate with consumers is to tell them a story – preferably in eight words or less.
Linguists and anthropologists have long believed that storytelling is the best way to break through a person’s mental defenses and place a message within the mind. Our unconscious minds find stories irresistible and there is actually a hypnotic effect that occurs when we hear the phrase, “Let me tell you a story.”
Humans are natural-born storytellers that relish the opportunity to tell a tale. We also spend an enormous amount of money on books, TV, movies, video games and other media all to experience the wonder of stories.
So it should come as no surprise that stories matter to marketers, but not just any story. It must be a highly-concentrated, ultra-condensed version called a micro-script. This is a very short set of words that people like to remember, and especially like to repeat. Usually a sentence or even less, micro-scripts are stronger than sound bites, and could even be called story bites. They always include rhythmic words or a metaphor, and they work instantaneously because they trigger full stories, or they connect with stories already in the mind.
Taglines, popular phrases and bumper stickers are just a few examples of micro-scripts. They’re usually eight words or less, direct and understandable, which makes them stand out from the endless messages and unrelenting information that fill our lives. This is especially timely since the digital revolution and social media explosion now generate billions of messages every second. This rapid-fire delivery of information has also reduced our attention spans, down to 9 seconds from 29 seconds several years ago.
With the increase in clutter and decrease in attention, the story is the ideal way to communicate because it’s quicker, sharper and more powerful than any other medium. Stories have a magical effect on the mind and marketers can use them to make any message more memorable and impactful. Whether used for your brand, your business or your blog, stories are the way to truly resonate with consumers so you can all live happily ever after.
MDG, a full-service Florida advertising agency, with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, specializes in developing targeted Internet marketing solutions, exceptional creative executions and solid branding and media buying strategies that give clients a competitive advantage.Our core capabilities include print advertising, branding, logo design , creative, digital marketing, media planning and buying, TV and radio, public relations, Web design and development, email marketing, social media marketing and SEO. To view MDG’s portfolio, click here.
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