WHAT IS STORYDOING?
The art of storytelling as a way to connect with your market has been explored by many marketing professionals. What’s emerging now from this way of communicating is an often overlooked concept with a powerful impact: storydoing.
What is Storydoing?
Storytelling is about creating a compelling narrative; storydoing takes that a step further by inviting the audience to get involved in it.
The key here is to create an experience that’s not only memorable, it aligns with your brand’s values and purpose to speak of who you are and why your company offers its products or services. It’s about creating an interactive narrative, where customers are active participants rather than passive listeners.
Storydoing isn’t just about communicating a message, it’s about making that message tangible and actionable, creating real-world connections between your brand and your customers.
WhAT DOES Storydoing LOOK LIKE?
You might want to tell a story about your sustainability practices and values but instead of only talking about it, you could also run a project where you invite your customers to join you in an environmental action. Coca-Cola and Australian agency Leo Burnett Sydney created a powerful example of the storydoing concept when they placed large screens and cameras on the border between India and Pakistan so people on either side could see each other. Their message of bringing people together tied in beautifully with that same value they promote in their product while also communicating their social awareness values.
IMAGE: Leo Burnett Sydney
WhY ENGAGE WITH STORYDOING?
Consumer trends towards authenticity are creating an increased desire to connect with brands that stand for something, not just sell them something. Also known as conscious consumerism, customers are more informed than ever and expect businesses to align their actions with their values.
Storydoing helps bridge the gap between a brand’s story and its actions, building trust and loyalty.
It encourages deeper engagement by offering an experience rather than just a message. When consumers see that a brand is walking the walk and not just talking the talk, they’re more likely to feel emotionally connected, which can lead to higher customer loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth marketing.
Storydoing in Print Marketing
Because print materials are a tangible marketing asset that evoke an emotional response through touch, sight, and even smell, they offer a unique advantage. Here’s how businesses can leverage storydoing in their print marketing strategies.
1. Show don’t tell
One of the core aspects of storydoing is engagement through an immersive experience. If your company is a local business with a brand message about offering a unique service, you could, for example, run a campaign of supporting local artisans by promoting their work on your print marketing materials. Postcards, fridge magnets or brochures could highlight stories of the artisans you work with and use their art for the images. This physical form of print marketing reinforces your brand’s commitment to action and builds your credibility as a company that stands for something worthwhile.
If your company prides itself on being eco-friendly, a brochure printed on recycled paper explaining not just the benefits of your products but how you contribute to environmental causes is a message customers can touch, feel, and connect with through the materials, giving them a personal experience of your values.
2. Involve customers in your story
Storydoing is all about making customers feel like they are part of your journey. In print, this can be done through personalised messages or interactive elements. A clothing brand focused on promoting body positivity might print customised postcards with messages of empowerment and self-love, inviting customers to share their own stories. This not only reinforces the brand's narrative but encourages customers to engage with the story through images of people who look like the people we see every day rather than stock images of models or actors.
3. Showcase your customers
Your customers are your key storydoing players. By featuring real-life stories of how your product or service has made a difference, you create a narrative that feels genuine and relatable, further boosting your credibility and brand values. Brochures, catalogues, and posters can be used to showcase success stories from a B2B company’s customers about how their products have been a benefit to them, giving both businesses publicity and demonstrating that company’s commitment to boosting the local economy first.
4. Prompt an action
One of the outstanding qualities of print is that your marketing products can become something your customers can do. Fun, clever ideas such as a brochure you can fold into an origami box can communicate that you care about parents by giving them the gift of a holiday activity for their children that gets their eyes off a screen. A company who wants to show they value making life less stressful could send a discount voucher in one of the many wonderfully attractive brochure folds that are fun to open (see Creative Brochure Folds).
Create meaningful, actionable experiences that align with your brand’s narrative and grab attention.
Make a real difference in the hearts and minds of your customers by using paper’s natural, tactile and appealing elements.
Nothing touches like paper.
DESIGN SERVICE
The visual impact of professional quality graphic design is crucial to the success of all your marketing products.
Our designers are fast, creative and professional. We can add to your existing products or create a beautiful design from your ideas.
Glide Print supply all design work from simple tasks like getting your artwork ready for print to creating complex documents such as annual reports and marketing packages. We work closely with our clients to make sure your branding is consistent and the print quality is excellent across all your products.
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