When brand teams and stakeholders have a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences, they can develop more effective activation strategies to reach customers on an emotional level. As an insights partner, we’re focused on two foundational goals — delivering actionable data and providing insight into customers’ experiences and perspectives through customer stories. Our approach to storytelling provides teams with a qualitative understanding of customers’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, complementing the quantitative data that supports decision-making. Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we use to help brand teams make strategic decisions.
Customer stories give data a voice.
We begin thinking about ways we can incorporate customer stories into presentations or discussions when we first launch a project. Through discovery sessions with stakeholders throughout the organization, we get input that helps us identify the right approach we’ll need to take to balance qualitative customer insights and quantitative data. Getting to know stakeholders and teams helps us design our research approach, but also informs how we’ll deliver reports so that we’re meeting the teams on their level and delivering the research insights in a way that helps them quickly absorb the findings so they can move into the activation phase armed with the right knowledge.
Stories help bridge the gap between raw data and its real-world implications, making it easier for the team to grasp the significance and develop action plans.”
For teams that value hearing the voice of the customer, starting with customer stories can create a powerful connection. We share videos, quotes, or testimonials from customers to humanize the data and provide real-life examples that resonate with the team. These stories reinforce the insights derived from quantitative data and make them more tangible and relatable.
On the other hand, when presenting to analytical teams such as engineers or product teams, data takes precedence but incorporating customer stories is still a critical element. By including audio quotes, written testimonials, or video clips that align with the data points, the customer perspective adds depth and context to the information. Stories help bridge the gap between raw data and its real-world implications, making it easier for the team to grasp the significance and develop action plans.
By providing a continuous reference point, customer stories help keep the voice of the customer alive within the organization and guide decision-making processes effectively.”
Stories explain and illustrate big concepts quickly.
Storytelling is not only valuable for reporting purposes. The stories we develop for the key stakeholders serve a larger purpose in helping the organization embrace new ideas or adapt to change. Once key insights and findings have been identified, we leverage stories to ensure the knowledge gained continues to be referenced and acted upon.
For instance, we will produce targeted Executive Summaries that highlight the key insights a specific team will need. This document can be accompanied by a video compilation or customer insights that reinforce the data and bring it to life. Additionally, if segmentation has been conducted, creating video montages or interviews specific to each segment helps teams revisit and understand the unique perspectives of their target audience.
Customer stories serve as a reminder of what has been learned and why it is essential. They create a lasting impact, allowing teams to relate to the insights on a deeper level. By providing a continuous reference point, customer stories help keep the voice of the customer alive within the organization and guide decision-making processes effectively.
Stories help us move teams to activation and beyond.
Our approach to delivering insights involves rigorous research methodology, high-quality analysis, and effective storytelling. By tying implications to the stories, we help clients understand the research and its implications. We want to make complex business issues accessible to each team member, which is why we continue to work with teams long after we deliver the research insights, guiding them through the activation stage and checking in periodically to measure and tweak outcomes. Hearing teams reference stories months after we’ve presented research reinforces the staying power of effective storytelling.
Want to learn more about our approach to strategic storytelling?
