Wrap your boring data in a storytelling sandwich

Human beings love stories. Given the choice of important numbers or someone’s personal journey, most of us take the latter every time.

But numbers and data are also the heart of many marketing & branding campaigns. Companies tout consumer surveys, politicians point to polls, and movie studios cite opening weekend ticket sales. That’s because data may be boring…but data wrapped in a storytelling sandwich is compelling and credible.

We recently wrote about applying this principle when your narrative is on the ropes. Below are three ways that anyone can turn boring data into a compelling storytelling sandwich.

1. Flood the market when the information is new. Showing how studies, record-breaking revenue, new investor cash, and major awards are relevant will turn heads. Additionally, while campaigns based around spin and fluff will fall apart under scrutiny, substance-based narratives have lasting power.

2. Highlight what makes the data credible. This is easiest when you can cite third-party entities. The power of third-party credibility is why Barack Obama sought Ted Kennedy’s endorsement against Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential primary; it’s what gets Aldi free press about its low prices; and it’s why patents are powerful brand differentiators.
3. It takes time to drive a narrative deep into a target audience. Once you’ve saturated the market with your new data, include it selectively. The data starts off as the ham of your sandwich; now, it becomes the right dab of mustard when issuing statements, thought leadership, speeches, and white papers.

Very few people eat deli ham on its own. But once you add the mustard, mayonnaise, cheese, bacon, and two slices of bread – now you have a club sandwich with a side of pickle and your favorite soda.