You don’t need us to tell you that getting noticed amongst over 25,000 agencies in the UK is a hard task. It’s not enough to have great services and be expert at what you do. Your clients need to connect with the people they work with on a deeper level, and storytelling is a powerful way to achieve this.
In our ‘Practice What You Preach’ agency marketing report, we were surprised to find that 73% of agencies we scored, were not communicating the client challenges that they solved and 59% lacked content which illustrated their value and effectively communicated their unique perspectives.
This highlights a significant opportunity for agencies to differentiate themselves by using storytelling in their marketing efforts.
Why Telling Your Story Matters
Telling the story of your agency can help you connect with your audience as it humanises your brand for clients, prospects and peers making you more relatable. This includes sharing your origin story, the values and mission that guide your work, and the unique approach you take to serving your clients. But currently 73% of agencies do not feature their mission and values on their website.
Your purpose sets you apart from your competitors and explains why you do what you do. Additionally, a compelling story can help you build trust with your audience which is critical to building successful client relationships.
Storytelling captures attention in a way that more traditional marketing or sales messages just can’t. By creating a narrative you can draw in your audience which in turn increases the likelihood that your prospects will engage with your message.
There are many places to tell your story, including on your website, social media, case studies, and at events. However, you need to be strategic in how you use storytelling to ensure that your messaging aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience.
Weave case studies and testimonials into your story
Case studies and testimonials are valuable assets you can weave into your marketing efforts. They provide real-world examples of how your agency helps clients achieve their goals and showcase your skills and expertise.
When using case studies and testimonials, be selective and choose examples that align with your agency's positioning. Provide context, explaining the challenges that your clients faced and how your agency helped overcome them. Use storytelling techniques to make your case studies and testimonials more engaging and relatable, and use images and videos to make your content more compelling.
Communicating your values
Authenticity is crucial in agency marketing because clients can easily see through bold, unsubstantiated claims. Clients want to connect with agencies that share their values and are genuine in their messaging.
Agencies that present themselves in a way that is inauthentic or perhaps too aspirational, run the risk of alienating their target audience and losing their trust. In order to be authentic, agencies must be transparent about their values, mission, and purpose. Strive to communicate these things in a way that is genuine and honest, without being too salesy or overly promotional.
One way to do this is to focus on the human side of the agency, highlighting the people behind your brand by sharing their stories. Social media is a great place for this and could include stories about their background, experiences, and the contributions they make to your agency's success.
Words are great, but pictures bring the story to life
A written story is great, but if you can bring this to life with audio and visual elements, it will resonate even more clearly with your prospects.
HubSpot conducted a study which saw viewers retain 95% of a message when they watched it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. By using video to share your agency’s story, you can showcase your culture, team and values and illustrate what it might be like to work with you
The same can be said for podcasts, which can create a more personal and intimate connection with the audience than written text alone. Listeners feel like they are included in an one-on-one conversation which helps them to engage and become more invested in the content.
So, if you’re looking to increase engagement with your agency, build brand awareness and stronger client relationships, get ready to share your origin story, values, work and unique approach. If you want a hand doing any of this, why not see how Chime can help you?
Get in touch to arrange a virtual coffee and a chat.
Download our Practice What You Preach report
Agency marketing is hard. Our research with over 100 UK agencies proves it. Download the report to learn how to become your own best case study.
