How to Make Your Marketing More Impactful

The emotional investment in the main characters and their experiences is at the heart of any good story.

Typically, we give a new TV show two episodes before deciding whether to continue investing our time. This is a generous timeframe and only applies if we like the actors from other TV shows or films.

However, if a show has good buzz but we're indifferent about the starring actors, we may only give it 20 minutes before deciding whether to continue watching.

The same principles apply to impactful marketing. When the writing makes the brand (the star of the show) vulnerable, likable, and relatable, an audience can be built. If the story remains interesting at least once a week for a month, the audience will become fans. Fans become invested in posts, merch, and livestreams.

When we are first introduced to a company and know nothing about it, we may only give a few seconds of our attention before deciding whether to engage with a post by clicking, commenting, saving, or sharing it.

However, if a friend sends you an Instagram post from a company to your Instagram inbox, you will likely give that company more of your time. This is similar to giving a new show a greater chance if you already liked the actor or if a friend recommended it because you’ll feel more invested.

Forgettable TV shows and marketing campaigns have poor execution, lacking the emotional investment necessary to keep audiences engaged.

A drop in viewership for a TV series can often be attributed to a lack of audience investment in the main characters.

Boring writing can cause characters to indirectly speak to the audience by telling their story to another character on-screen, rather than allowing the audience to experience and empathize with the moment as the character experiences it. Additionally, unnecessary storylines can irritate viewers and act only as filler until the finale.

Some brands don’t grow because they treat the audience as spectators after the transaction. Some customer reviews indicate that they feel ignored after making a purchase, commenting that communication and support are now lacking.

More Impactful Marketing and Community Building:

• Go where your audience is, not just where the latest trend is.

• Create your strategy based on what your audience wants, not what you want.

• Show vulnerability through your words and actions.

• Use humor to establish an emotional connection.

• Avoid trying too hard. Audiences can detect desperation and inauthenticity.

• Maintain a consistent, likable, and relatable brand voice.

• Provide value through entertainment. People are more likely to share content that they find funny, heartwarming, or insightful.

• Engage with your audience and fans through comments, direct messages, and texts.