Posted by Ben Kniffen in Uncategorized

It seems every week there is a new op-ed piece from an influential director that is sharing his or her thoughts on the decline of American cinema. In my opinion, a decline that probably started with the film adaptation of Super Mario Bros. Failed video game movies aside, Hollywood still turns out a number of halfway decent stories every year that can teach marketers a lot about storytelling and how to position their B2B brand and content online and on their LinkedIn profile.
A strong opening statement or tagline.
The tagline for that sleep-inducing nightmare Super Mario Bros. adaptation is the cheesy “This Ain’t No Game, It’s A Live-Action Thrill Ride!” You can almost hear the over-the-top announcer trying to keep your attention as the opening credits have already made you want to turn it off.
You must put thought and real consideration into the first thing that people are going to read or see about your company. After seeing the name of your brand you want to draw your prospect’s attention to something that tells them how they can use your services.
If you are a financial advisor offering 401k and retirement plans to actors, you wouldn’t want your tagline to be something just promoting or detailing what it is that is interesting to you – i.e. just your title. “Wealth Analyst Manager at ABC Consultants” is boring and doesn’t let your audience know why they should pay attention to you. “Early Retirement Planning Expert” tells your audience how you can get them where they want to be without sounding too cheesy and spammy.
Putting a Human Element into Your Story.
Reaching the human emotions of the audience is key to any Hollywood movie. That is why you have back-stories in animated and sci-fi epics involving Smurf family tragedies, ewok love stories, or father-son issues between a dishonest puppet and a man.
Along the same line, your website and communications shouldn’t feel so robotic and sales-y. You should be reinforcing the fact that you and your company is run by REAL people that aren’t solely interested in the dollar sign at the end of the tunnel. Having a strong “About Us” page or a behind-the-scenes video can add personality to your online presence and convince prospects that you are the kind of company they should work with.
Overcoming Obstacles.
Not even the indestructible Superman breezed through every challenge and came out the other side clean. It is inevitable that you will hit speed bumps along the way. Whether that comes from dealing with upset customer reviews online or letting an administrative task that you struggle with stand in your way.
But it is in how you attack and persevere through the difficulties that really builds your story. As long as you aren’t in a constant battle against an arch-nemesis and an energy-sucking green rock named Kryptonite, you should be able to confront and overcome your obstacles. And the way you overcome the struggles faced within your company, and the struggles faced by your customers can all go towards enriching the story you are promoting.
Embrace the Drama.
There is no product or service available that has a 100% approval rating, there are even some people who would vote against having an after-work burger and beer while riding in a hot air balloon. That being said you must constantly deal with your online reputation because it is a huge part of the story of your B2B brand.
With the overwhelming majority of prospects researching your company online before a meeting, you need a plan to embrace your faults and respond to criticism in a sincere way that can reach the upset customer and convince prospects of your humility and desire for excellent service.
Make sure to own your faults, but beware of trolls sucking you into a fight just for a fights sake. Rule number 1 of online troll fight club is there is no winning in online troll fight club.
Resolution, but leave room for the reboot.
Make the story of your B2B brand consistent and clear across all your communication avenues so your prospects get a full story, but don’t write your story in stone. Employees, customers, technology, and products all change, so make sure you leave room for additions and edits to your story. If they can remake Godzilla for what feels like the 237th time, you can definitely add, alter or reboot your brand story when it needs a facelift for the next generation.
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Creating a successful B2B brand story (or Hollywood movie) is all about making a connection with your audience. You have to find a way for your story to reach the audience on their level. Don’t go on and on about why your product or service is great to you, but show them how your product is a solution to their problems. Bring your story to them in a format and style familiar to them that will get their attention and result in action.