Want to tell better marketing and brand stories? Want to develop a better emotional connection with your audience? In this presentation, with Erin Blaskie, we uncover what it means to connect with your target market and tell the story that matters most to them.

1. BRAND STORYTELLING
#BYBStories
!
Erin Blaskie
@ErinBlaskie
www.ErinBlaskie.com

2. ME.
!
COMMODORE 64.
RED-VELVET LINED CASE.
INNATE DESIRETO BE A CEO.

3. YOU.
!
BIGTHINKERS.
IDEA POWERHOUSES.
BUSINESS ADVENTURERS.

4. US.
!
MARKETERS.
EMOTIONAL CONNECTORS.
STORYTELLERS.

5. OUR JOURNEY.
!
IDEAS > WHY 8 OUT OF 10 FAIL
!
INTIMACY > GETTINGTO KNOWYOUR
AUDIENCE
!
RESONANCE >TELLINGTHE STORIESTHAT
MATTERTO EACH GROUP OF PEOPLE

6. IDEAS

7. A good idea will keep you awake during the morning, but a
GREAT IDEA will keep you awake during the night.

8. THE RUSH OF A NEW
IDEA IS EXHILARATING…
CAPTIVATING…
CONSUMING

9. HOW IMPORTANT
IS IT TO YOU
THAT YOUR BIG
IDEA LIVE?

10. THETRUTH IS…
8 OUT OF 10
BUSINESS IDEAS FAIL

11. THE OLD ADAGE OF “IF YOU
BUILD IT, THEY WILL
COME” DOESN’T WORK.
!
THERE ARE FARTOO MANY
CHOICES FOR CONSUMERS.

12. OUR GOAL?
!
CUT THROUGH THE NOISE.
DISRUPT THE CONVERSATION.
QUIT BEING PASSIVE.

13. WE DREAM, CREATE &
PLAN IN SECRET
!
& FEEL DISAPPOINTED
WHEN PEOPLE AREN’T
AS EXCITED AS WE ARE
ABOUT OUR IDEA

14. THE INTIMACY YOU FEEL
WITH YOUR IDEA IS NOT
ALWAYS A SHARED OR
UNDERSTOOD
EXPERIENCE.

15. HOW CAN WE CREATE
INTIMACY FOR CUSTOMERS?
!
!
!
REDUCE OBSCURITY
THROUGH STORYTELLING

16. THE GREATEST ENEMY OF
PERSUASION IS
OBSCURITY

17. IT’S NOTYOUR CUSTOMER’S
JOBTO FIND REASONSTO BE
EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN
YOUR PRODUCT.
!
HELPTHEM GETTHERE.

18. TOMS SHOES
The Shoe CompanyThat Put Soul Into Buying New Soles

19. CENTRAL BIERHAUS
The Restaurant With Heart

20. SETH GODIN, DURING ATEDTALK, SAID:
“WE’RE IN THE CENTURY OF IDEA DIFFUSION
- PEOPLE WHO CAN GET IDEAS TO SPREAD,
WIN.”

21. INTIMACY

22. Source: jira.atlassian.com

23. THE OLD, BROKEN MODEL.
!
KEEPSTHE IDEA CLOSETOTHE CREATOR,
NO OPPORTUNITY FOR CONNECTION.
!
THE BUILDING OF A RELATIONSHIP
HAPPENS AFTER IT’S BEEN BROUGHTTO
MARKET - NOT BEFORE.

24. WHAT ARE
CREATORS
AFRAID OF?

25. CREATORS ARE OFTEN
AFRAID OF SHOWING
PEOPLE THEIR “MESS.”

26. WE STRIVE FOR
PERFECTIONISM AND IN
DOING SO,WE MISS OUT ON
THETHING PEOPLE CRAVE
MOST… AUTHENTICITY.

27. THE OLD MODEL KEEPSTHE
“MESS” OUT AND INTURN,
KEEPS REAL CONNECTION
AT AN ARM’S LENGTH.

28. YOU CAN’T CHEAT REAL
CONNECTION.
!
!
!
IT IS BUILT UP SLOWLY &
OVER TIME - BRENE BROWN

29. CUSTOMERS WILL GRAVITATE
TOWARDTHE STORIES AND
MESSAGESTHAT ARE MOST
IMPORTANTTO THEM.

30. BUT, IT BEGINS WITH…
UNDERSTANDING
YOUR AUDIENCE

31. 718 CYCLERY
NYC
A Bike Store Focused
on Collaborative Builds
!
Philosophy:
!
“We are practitioners of
100+ year old technology,
not the guardians of it.”

32. LEEVALLEYTOOLS
Family-Owned
Business Since 1978
!
Philosophy:
!
“Treat the customer like a
friend.We do everything
for you that we would do
for a friend, including,
where necessary, telling
you if you are being
unreasonable.”

33. YOUR JOB, AS CREATOR, IS
TO IDENTIFY YOUR
MARKETS
!
!
!
& DETERMINE THEIR VALUES

34. THE ADOPTION
LIFECYCLE

35. DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION

36. INNOVATORS.
!
OBSESSED WITHTRYING NEWTHINGS.
RELY LESS ON GROUP NORMS, MORE ON
OWNVALUES.
OFTEN HIGHER INCOMES, MORE WORLDLY.
!
THINK: THE PERSON SEARCHING FOR
THAT NEW THING NO ONE ELSE HAS.

37. EARLY ADOPTERS.
!
RELY MORE ON GROUP NORMS.
ARE OFTEN OPINION LEADERS.
ENJOY LEADING EDGE PRODUCTS.
!
THINK: THE PERSON ENCOURAGING
FRIENDS & FAMILY TO BUY.

38. EARLY MAJORITY & LATE MAJORITY.
!
COLLECTS MORE INFORMATION.
LISTENSTO OPINIONS OF LEADERS.
OFTEN IN A LOWER INCOME BRACKET.
!
THINK: THE PERSON WHO BUYS
SOMETHING EVERYBODY ELSE HAS.

39. LAGGARDS.
!
THEIR PAST INFLUENCES PURCHASES.
OFTEN SUSPICIOUS OF CHANGE.
PURCHASES ARE “HAVETO”VS “WANTTO”
!
THINK: THE PERSON BUYING A FLIP
PHONE WHEN EVERYONE ELSE HAS A
SMARTPHONE.

40. RESEARCHING THE END
USER & KNOWING THEIR
MOTIVES & VALUES
SHOULD BE “DAY ONE”
WORK.

41. WHENYOU KNOWYOUR
AUDIENCE INSIDE & OUT,YOU
CAN CREATE A BETTER
WIDGET AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, CREATE
MORE RESONANCE.

42. RESONANCE

44. DESTINY AWAITS
Easter Egg Appeared in Halo 3: ODST in 2009

45. O BRAVE NEW WORLD
2011 Documentary Shot &
Released by Destiny Creator Bungie

46. RELEASE OFTHE NAME
In February of 2013, Bungie Released the Name ofTheir
Game & Prompted Users to Follow on Social Media

47. INVITATION OF GAMING PRESS
February 2013: Official Invitations to Foreign and US
Gaming Press + Non-Disclosure Agreements Signed

48. REVEAL AT E3
June 2013: RevealTrailer Released at E3

49. BUILDING ANTICIPATION
After E3 and the RevealTrailer, Bungie Fed Fans with
Anticipation Building Graphics and Blog Posts

50. VIDOCUMENTARY RELEASE
After the E3 Reveal, Bungie Released aViDoc toTalk About the
Making of Destiny and Give Fans a Behind the Scenes Look

51. IGN: BUILDING BUZZ
IGN.com Offered First Look, Sneak Peeks, Map Reveals,
Behind the Scenes of a Beta Account & More

52. LAUNCH DAY: SEPTEMBER 9
$500M IN SALES
ON DAY ONE

53. BIGGEST NEW
FRANCHISE
LAUNCH
IN HISTORY

54. HIGHEST SELLING
DAY ONE DIGITAL
CONSOLE RELEASE
IN HISTORY

55. HOW DID THEY DO IT?
!
THEY KNEWTHEIR AUDIENCE.
THEY KNEW WHAT MATTERED.
THEY KNEW WHERETO REACHTHEM.
THEY KNEW WHAT STORIESTOTELL.
THEY HIT ALL CHANNELS.

56. STORYTELLING

57. TONY ROBBINS SAYSTHAT
“EMOTION IS THE FORCE OF LIFE”
— USE IT.

58. HOW DO YOU
BUILD AN
EMOTIONAL
CONNECTION?

59. FOCUS ON THE
CUSTOMER.
!
PUTYOUR CUSTOMER ATTHE
FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING
YOU DO. NO MATTER WHAT.

60. CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
EMPATHY.
!
GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
WITHTHE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE AND INVITE STAFF
TO DOTHE SAME.

61. LISTEN.
!
TAKE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
SERIOUSLY ANDVALIDATE
THEIR OPINIONS. CHAMPION
THEIRVOICE.

62. APPEAL TO MANY, SPEAK
TO ONE.
!
THINK ABOUTYOUR IDEAL
CLIENT EVERY SINGLETIME
YOU CREATE SOMETHING.

63. ASK QUESTIONS.
!
ASKYOURTARGET MARKET
LOTS AND LOTS OF
QUESTIONS.THEY ARE
VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT.

64. WHAT
KIND OF
STORIES
DO
PEOPLE
WANT TO
HEAR?

65. YOUR ORIGINS.
!
WHAT ISYOUR WHY?
WHAT AREYOUR PASSIONS?
WHY AREYOUTHE LEADER?

66. FACEBOOK WAS
FOUNDED IN A
HARVARD DORM ROOM

67. YOUR CHALLENGES.
!
WHAT MAKESYOU REAL?
HOW WILLYOU ENGAGE?
HOW CANYOU RELATE?

68. HENRY FORD’S FIRST
COMPANY FAILED AFTER
JUST 2 YEARS OF
OPERATION

69. YOUR LOSSES.
!
ENDEARYOUR CUSTOMERS.
INSPIRE FANS.
HUMANIZETHE BUSINESS.

70. AMAZON WAS
ORIGINALLY CALLED
CADABRA UNTIL JEFF
BEZO’S LAWYER CALLED
IT “CADAVER.”

71. YOUR TESTIMONIALS.
!
SOCIAL PROOF.
EXTERNALVALIDITY.
SHORTENTHE KNOW, LIKE &
TRUSTTIMELINE.

72. ZAPPOS IS FAMOUS FOR
CREATING THE BEST
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

73. CONTENT
STRATEGY

74. WEBSITE.
!
WEB COPY, IMAGERY, ON-SITE
VIDEO, INTERACTIVE
FEATURES,AVAILABILITY &
MORE.

77. BLOGGING.
!
WORDPRESS, MEDIUM,
TUMBLR, LINKEDIN & MORE.

80. E-MAIL NEWSLETTER.
!
MAILCHIMP,AWEBER,
CONSTANT CONTACT &
MORE.

82. SOCIAL MEDIA.
!
TWITTER, FACEBOOK,
GOOGLE+, LINKEDIN,
INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST &
MORE.

85. VIDEO & AUDIO.
!
YOUTUBE, SOUNDCLOUD,
ITUNES PODCAST,VIMEO,VINE,
INSTAGRAMVIDEO & MORE.

88. VIRTUAL OR LIVE EVENTS.
!
TELESEMINARS,WEBINARS,
NETWORKING EVENTS,
CONFERENCES & MORE.

89. BACK TO
THE PEOPLE

90. DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION

91. WHAT ARETHE
STORIES THAT WILL
RESONATE?

92. HOW CANYOU
BEGIN THE
CONVERSATION
FROM DAY ONE?

93. Source: jira.atlassian.com

94. HOW WILLYOU
SPREAD YOUR
BUSINESS’
BIG IDEA?

95. THE STORY CONTINUES…
@ErinBlaskie (Twitter / Instagram)
facebook.com/erinblaskie
www.NextDevMedia.com