Our brains are wired to respond to a well-told story. It’s the best way to capture attention and create rapport. It’s why the best presentations and TED Talks start off with a good narrative. Just check out Shawn Achor's talk on the Happy Secret to Better Work for a demonstration of this. So, how can we use this to enhance our listings and websites? We tell our creation story – that’s how.

Who doesn’t know the story of how Airbnb founders, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky started their business? Then both 27, the two who had met five years earlier at Rhode Island School of Design, were struggling to pay their rent. Coming up with the idea of creating a website based on renting something that was already in existence was perfect.

We’ve heard this story over and over again. It’s part of the fabric of the Airbnb evolution.

It’s relatable.

It has all the elements of a good tale – adversity, struggle, challenges, and rejection ultimately leading to the protagonists overcoming it all and finding success. And, it’s all about a brand.

In his book Primal Branding, Patrick Hanlon describes seven unique points of differentiation which are the ways a brand can stand apart from competitors. He suggests that using at least 3 of these differentiators can make an impact.

The first of these is to use a “strategic brand narrative”….meaning just tell a compelling story.

If you’ve listened to any of my interviews, you’ll know I start off each one asking how my interviewee got into this business.

I want to hear their creation story.

I tell mine too at the start of many of my presentations, and probably more than once on this podcast and if you haven’t heard it, listen to this episode.

In this one, I refer to a couple of great examples of storytelling and suggest ways in which you can convert a boring About Us page to one that is compelling and relatable.

• The way ‘man, woman, boy, and dog’ (Beside the Sea About Us) relates to the families and pet owners they focus on
• The 7 differentiators that can revolutionize your brand
• How to make your customers the stars of the story
• Building a story around your persona
• Why it’s OK to be transparent about the negatives

Links:

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Beside the Sea
Primal Branding by Patrick Hanlon
Find Your Short Term Rental Niche with Rick Oster VRS 303
Setting Your Vacation Rental Standard Beside the Sea VRS 322