Episodic Marketing - storytelling for your business.

Once upon a time…the classic storytelling intro
 
We all know how good it feels to be cocooned in the warmth and the entertainment of a good story or TV series.  Storytelling after all creates connections and encourages engagement. Something that is highly important in marketing.
 
But how can you make your marketing ‘buzz’ like a good story?
 
Step in episodic marketing. Episodic content comes alive in the form of articles and blog posts, infographics, podcasts, and video. Its aim is to create a return audience, build subscribers and to establish a brands credibility.
 
I recently read an analogy which likens B2B episodic marketing to the world of entertainment like Amazon Prime or Netflix, bear with me, it may seem on the surface like a tenuous link but the roots of the content of both are the same. Businesses should look at their content marketing like the creation of an original series for your business and it starts by putting your show producer hat on, what will engage and entertain your audience? Can you create original content that people want to see, over and over again or that they patiently wait for?
 
This really got me thinking, especially as, over the past 12 months we have all been yearning for entertainment, I found solace in both a good book and binge-watching TV series. I recently devoured the Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, set in a hunting retreat in Scotland at Hogmanay it had me gripped, as did the Last Kingdom on Netflix. The similarity in both was that I was hooked and invested in the story line (don’t worry no spoiler alert here) we need to create this level of engagement in marketing content.
 
But how do we bring entertainment, the lure of a story, the ‘drug’ of a good series into our world of B2B and into the world of our clients - of energy management, building controls, IoT, software, big data etc. It isn’t easy but we can use some of these tools.
 
Firstly, we need to think about our audience, what journey they are on (in relation to what you are selling of course), what steps they need to take on that journey to get from A-B and onto becoming a NetZero hero for example?
 
Much like my book and my Netflix binge, we want to bring the reader with us on our journey to find the answer waiting for us at the end. But like every good series, we ensure the reader/viewer has felt some sense of achievement, joy as they move from one episode to the next.
 
Now let’s story board those steps.

• Talk the audience through the activities, highlight and celebrate the successes and opportunities, where to next….
• What do I need to do next… you are the character in your story bringing your customer on the journey with you
• You are acting out the solutions and services that are helping them on their journey one pain point at a time.
• Consider topics, series, seasons and themes. Have a pause between each episode. This could be based on season and what technologies are right for now.
• Tell your story – one episode at a time. Write your book, produce your you tube show. Episodic marketing is designed for your audience and to hook your audience in. From sharing ideas and advice to creating sales marketing material for your teams. 
• Consider your characters, who’s acting, who’s taking the audience through the solution or service you are offering.
• Make it memorable and sharable. Have fun with your content but know your audience. What can they engage with, and what can they share on your behalf – sharing because they like it and believe in it?

 
Forward-thinking marketers are leveraging storytelling to connect with customers and keep them returning for more. Episodic marketing is storytelling with the sole aim of captivating an audience is a powerful way to build brand awareness, with the aim being able to educate and inform your audience through a series of thought leadership clips or sales marketing shows.
 
To find out more about how episodic marketing can work for your business please get in touch with the team at 3-Eight Communications: [email protected]
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