Insurance is an emotion-driven industry. People seek insurance to protect the things that are most important to them – like their families, their homes, and their businesses. Prioritizing storytelling in your marketing strategy makes perfect sense, as storytelling can evoke powerful emotions, humanize a brand, and inspire engagement and trust. Drawing insights from “The Purpose-Told Story,” a chapter of “Storynomics: Story-Driven Marketing in the Post-Advertising World,” by screenwriting expert Robert McKee and digital marketing expert Thomas Gerace, we’ll explore how to use stories as impactful insurance marketing strategies.
UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE-TOLD STORY
In this chapter of “Storynomics,” the authors argue that whether you are writing a work of fiction or an ad, the best stories “satisfy with a meaningful, emotional experience” that leaves us “fuller human being[s] than when we entered.” In insurance marketing, this means telling stories that reflect your clients’ and potential clients’ needs and demonstrate how your insurance solutions can meet those needs and resolve problems effectively. The authors identify eight stages essential to effective story-driven marketing. Here’s how you can make them work for your insurance brand.
STAGE 1: THE THREE TARGETS
As an experienced marketer, you understand that you can never make assumptions about your audience. Before you launch into any storytelling campaign, you need to define:
- Your Target Audience: Determine who you are speaking to with this campaign – such as young people buying their first cars, families purchasing new homes, or business owners looking for industry-specific protections.
- The Target Need or Problem: What insurance-related issue are you seeking to address? Fear of financial instability after an accident? The high cost of repairs after storm damage to a home? Worries about lawsuits if an employee makes a mistake?
- The Target Action: What do you want your audience to do next? You might encourage them to get a quote, schedule a consultation, or sign up for one of your policies.
STAGE 2: SUBJECT MATTER
What is your insurance brand’s core value? Is it exceptional customer support, comprehensive coverage options, expertise in a specific type of business support, or quick claims processing? Your story’s main character could be a client imagining themselves navigating a complex situation – like a stressed homeowner coordinating home repairs after a fire or a business owner trying to keep operations running while dealing with a potentially devastating data breach.
STAGE 3: THE INCITING INCIDENT
Create a compelling event that would disrupt your protagonist’s life, such as a middle-of-the-night fire or an employee misstep that leads to a company data breach. You want this incident to immediately engage viewers or readers and highlight the emotional stakes involved, making them invested in the resolution of the story. Your main character’s reaction to whatever happens as they imagine themselves in this situation should establish them as a relatable, well-meaning person who the audience will root for.
STAGE 4: THE OBJECT OF DESIRE
Clearly define what your protagonist seeks as they imagine these scenarios playing out. Peace of mind, financial stability, or protection from unforeseen events are common goals when people turn to an insurance company for protection. Your featured homeowner wants to ensure that their family wouldn’t be stuck in a hotel for months while the fire claims processes drags on, and your business owner wouldn’t want to risk losing the trust of the customers who’ve stuck by them for decades.
STAGE 5: FIRST ACTION
Show your main character taking initial, reasonable steps toward finding that peace of mind and security. They might begin researching insurance options or contacting various providers, just as your audience has done, or will do, in their own lives.
STAGE 6: THE FIRST REACTION
Introduce an unexpected obstacle or challenge that adds complexity to your protagonist’s journey. Maybe the homeowner keeps reading negative reviews of insurance providers written by families who’ve waited years to have repairs completed on their home or receive replacements for the possessions they’ve lost. Perhaps the business owner keeps being told their company is not considered large enough or high-risk enough to warrant data breach coverage. The reaction should be an obstacle the audience can relate to, something that mirrors their own experiences or concerns.
STAGE 7: CRISIS CHOICE
Present a pivotal moment where your main character must make a critical decision. They need to choose a policy for their brand-new home or small business, but they’re having trouble deciding between a less expensive, less reliable option that would save them some cash in the short term or paying a little more for a trusted reputation and peace of mind. The tension here should be palpable, and the choice should clearly lead them to choose your insurance solution.
STAGE 8: CLIMACTIC REACTION
After choosing your insurance solution, you can show how your protagonist’s stress levels decrease as they smile watching their kids play in the backyard or their employees help a new customer. They achieve their desired outcome – the peace of mind of knowing they’ll have a smooth claims process or comprehensive coverage if they ever need it.
Neuroscientists have found that the brain’s response to a good story’s climax results in a few seconds of open-mindedness, during which memory is heightened. The authors say smart marketers should put their logo and any slogans right after the climax to take advantage of this phenomenon.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your insurance marketing through the power of storytelling. Start creating narratives that not only showcase the value of your offerings but also connect deeply with your audience. LIGHTSTREAM is here to help. Contact us today to learn how we can help you tell the stories that will help you achieve your marketing goals.