By its very nature, storytelling allows people to connect with each other in an authentic and vulnerable way. According to Amazon SEO Consultant, giving your product a story humanizes your brand and increases the chances that a potential buyer will relate to your message.
It’s no longer enough to tout the features and benefits of a product – consumers want to know the whole story – how the product was created, why it was created, and the unique struggles you faced in creating it.
Shape your stories in such a way that are persuasive, human and honest.
Forcing an emotional reaction – a trip down memory lane, a feeling of nostalgia or freedom, etc. – gives consumers a reason to come back for more.
Storytelling is also a great way for mission-based companies to share more about product development and company culture.
Here is a helpful graphic from Referral Candy:
Magazine-Like Format and Imagery
Studies show that consumers enjoy reading magazine-like catalogs, and many catalogs now look more like magazines than traditional catalogs with strong editorial content and dazzling imagery.
According to the United States Postal Service, the average time spent looking at a catalog is 15.5 minutes, and consumers tend to hold on to catalogs for several weeks. If they’ve bought from the company before, they are likely to hold on to them even longer.
Why? Because they feel a connection to the brand – a certain loyalty to the story.
Great editorial content in a catalog, according to the agency FF New York, sells not only products but also a worldview, a vibe, and when you combine great editorial content with captivating imagery you’ve got a compelling brand story.
Storytelling in Editorial Content + Captivating Imagery = Magalog Success!
The catalog, or magalog, as some have coined it, has evolved into a conduit allowing consumers go deeper into the brand than they can with remarketing ads or social media stories.
J.Crew notably began featuring real-life customers rather than models to illustrate its classic lifestyle brand, and supplemented its product pages with stories about company employees.
Read: Is a Magalog Right For You?
An engaging magalog photoshoot may cost more than just product images, but retailers can reuse the content online and on social media. So while your photography budget might increase, you’ll end up with elevated web content as a result.
If you think a “magalog” approach might be right for your brand, there are several online resources to hone your storytelling skills. Here are a couple of good ones: https://www.referralcandy.com/blog/ultimate-storytelling-guide-infographic/
And https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/storytelling
And check out The Dingley Press’s other articles on storytelling in catalogs: https://dingley-old.crackmedia.net/tell-me-something-good-part-i-the-importance-of-storytelling-in-catalog-marketing/ And https://dingley-old.crackmedia.net/tell-me-something-good-part-ii-how-to-utilize-storytelling-in-your-catalog/
Sources: https://www.uspsdelivers.com/10-reasons-why-catalogs-are-a-marketing-powerhouse/
