Many of today’s B2B marketers call customer testimonials and case studies the most effective type of content for lead generation — and for good reason. Customer stories are a powerful marketing tool because they humanize your brand, give you credibility and allow potential customers to imagine what you can do for their business. But how exactly does B2B storytelling work? It’s not all that different from storytelling in the traditional sense. You simply need a compelling narrative that relates to the reader on a personal level.

How to approach storytelling in B2B

1. Pick stories that have a clear story arc. Start by establishing the goal. Ask yourself: What was the customer hoping to accomplish? You then need to clearly explain what you did by offering a specific explanation of how you accomplished the goal. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, you need to have results. Show your reader what you accomplished and how you made a difference for your customer through web traffic, leads, closed business, PR placements or other key KPIs.
2. Show, don’t tell.  Customer stories should tell the world how you work and help potential customers understand what you can do for them. Simply explaining a concept or throwing stats at a reader isn’t enough to make them understand how your customer story relates to them. Put them in someone else’s shoes and show them how someone just like them had a positive experience with your business. Instead of saying “you redesigned a website,” say “the original website was not optimized for search and hard to navigate.” Include visual examples of the work you did, like linking to the website you built or showing a picture from the event you organized.
3. Write with your reader in mind. If your company has buyer personas, start there. If not, it’s time to create them. Make a list of your prospective customer’s pain points, demographics, professional background, education, points of resistance and the kind of solutions they’re looking for. This information will help you tailor your messaging to each type of buyer. Also, consider each persona’s background, and let that affect the tone and diction of the story. For example, if your reader is a marketing executive, then you can use industry jargon and a knowledgeable tone. Except in very formal settings, it’s usually best to speak to the reader by using the word “you” and approaching the story from their point of view.

You can explain the value of your products or services all you want, but savvy readers want to know what you’ve actually accomplished for clients — and more importantly, how you can help them. Customer stories are a vital tool for B2B marketers looking to win over prospects with content.