Storytelling is the oldest way to communicate important information - and arguably the most effective. Used properly, the power of a well-told narrative is quickly understood and long remembered. This free 30-minute webinar outline five easy ways to work storytelling techniques into place marketing. Presented by Alissa Sklar, Ph.D., the focus will be on learning how to craft interesting, appropriate and informative messages about your location for purposes of investment attraction and business retention.

1. Harness the Power of Storytelling
for Place Marketing

2. Overview:
1- What does storytelling have to do with
economic development marketing?
2- Understand the basic narrative
3- Find your stories
4- Leverage your stories
5- Link to your website

3. Why Storytelling?

4. The human brain is
hard-wired to
understand narrative.

5. We use stories to make sense of our world -
even if our brains have to work hard to impose a
narrative that isn't there.

6. Our brains use stories as a basic way to organize
our memories - research shows recall is
significantly higher when information is
presented in narrative forms.

7. 3 critical components in marketing:
•Comprehension
•Resonance
•Recall

8. A good story has a point - the ending.
It may be funny, sad, or have a lesson to teach.
For this reason alone, storytelling helps cut
through the clutter in advertising.
If it resonates, people will remember it long
after the slogans and tag lines are forgotten.

9. The Basic Story
Linear narrative:
• Beginning: explain the situation
• Middle: problem/ challenge is defined
• End: solution - resolution

10. Why Halifax uses stories in different
ways to market their location

12. http://youtu.be/Dy-o2BoYOt0

13. Other kinds of stories include:
*non-linear narratives (flashbacks)
*open ended narratives (series)

14. How often have you heard:
What is economic
development anyway?

15. When you offer an
abstract service rather
than a tangible
product, stories help
people understand
what you do.

16. Find Your Stories
What kinds of stories can we tell in economic
development?

17. Some types of stories:
• People profiles
• Entrepreneurs
• Success stories
• Business profiles
• Community profiles
• Neighborhood profiles

19. There Are Many Kinds of
Success Stories
• Rags-to-riches
• Against all odds
• Genius makes good
• Rising from the ashes
• Paradigm shift
• Underdog
• Swimming against the current
• Immigrant success story
• Local girl/ boy makes good
• Etc. etc…..

20. Why not write up profiles about
unusual or historical properties?

22. Or - with a little more research using
your GIS site - uncover the critical
stories about the demographics,
workforce or emerging industry
clusters in your location?

28. Stories may not always find you -
where to look:
• Scan business press.
• Stay in close contact with Chambers of
Commerce.
• Let your business community know you are
interested in successes large and small.
• Use Google Alerts.

29. www.google.com/alert

30. http://youtu.be/INh1oEdSnno

31. http://youtu.be/BVySzwsxgMk

32. Leverage stories
http://youtu.be/_LjqojYQ0u0

33. Now What?
1- Write up your story as a blog post OR
2- Write up a blog post about your YouTube
video.
3- Include it in your e-newsletter.
4- Post it across your social feeds.
5- Encourage the people/ business that are the
focus to post it on their social feeds & website.
6- Regularly repost.

34. Tips:
• Keep it short and punchy.
• Compelling headline.
• Images are key.
• Write up SEO-friendly text description.
• Include URL of any business you cite.

35. Post & Share

36. Ex: Blog posted on Facebook

37. Ex: Podcasts on iTunes

38. Ex: Posting stories on Pinterest

39. Ex: Posting YouTube video on LinkedIn

40. Ex: Business profile on Instagram

41. Ex: Business profile on Twitter

42. Link to your website
All your stories have one goal:
Drive qualified prospects your way.
On every story, in every format, consider the Call
to Action (CTA).
Most often, this means a
live link to your website.

43. It can also include:
• SEO-optimized keywords for your location/
brand
• Email or contact information for key people
• Webinar/ conference/ seminar registration
links

44. Key Takeaways:
• Use storytelling to engage, explain &
encourage recall
• Focus on the people, businesses & data in
your location
• Leverage content across media platforms
• Link back to your website
• Think creatively!

45. Questions?
Get in touch: info@gisplanning.com
www.gisplanning.com
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www.linkedin.com/company/gis-planning
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