Your Clients Don’t Buy Your Offer – They Buy the Story of Themselves | People Don’t Buy Your Product, They Buy Your Story | People buy stories, not products. How to shift your marketing strategy

Imagine this: You have two coins in your hand. You walk up to a booth at your school fair. At the booth, two of your friends are selling almost the same thing: homemade, colorful slime.

Your friend Sam points to a sign that says:
"SLIME.
- Very Stretchy
- Non-Toxic
- 2 Coins."

It looks good. You know what you’re getting. It’s slime.

But then, your friend Alex smiles and points to their sign:
"BECOME A SLIME WIZARD!
Tired of boring afternoons? Transform ordinary time into a magical science experiment! My secret-recipe slime lets you cast spells of stretch, bounces back like a charm, and makes you the coolest creator in the room. Master the magic for just 2 coins."

Where do you put your coins?

You probably run to Alex’s booth. Why? Sam sold you slime. Alex sold you a story. And not just any story—a story where you are the star. You aren’t buying slime; you’re buying the title of “Slime Wizard.” You’re buying the feeling of being magical, cool, and clever.

This, right here, is the biggest secret in the whole world of games, lemonade stands, and even giant companies. People don’t really buy the thing. They buy the better, happier, more awesome story they can tell about THEMSELVES once they have it.

This magic secret is called storytelling in business communication. And when you learn it, it becomes a superpower for your lemonade stand, your babysitting service, or your art shop. This whole idea of storytelling marketing isn’t about lying or making things up. It’s about connecting what you sell to your customer’s dreams. This blog is your guide to how to grow your business with storytelling, from your very first step.

Chapter 1: The Brain’s Favorite Channel: The Story Channel

Think about your brain like it has two TV channels.

Channel Fact: This channel is black and white. It talks in a robot voice. It says things like: "This pencil is 15 cm long. It has graphite inside. It costs 50 cents." Boooring. Your brain hears this, says "Okay, noted," and gets distracted.

Channel Story: This channel is in full color, with exciting music! It shows a mini-movie. It says: "This is your Victory Pencil. Remember that tricky math test last week? Imagine gripping this pencil, feeling confident. You see a tough problem, but you take a deep breath and crack it! You feel smart and strong. This pencil is in your hand as you get an A+ and your teacher gives you a proud smile." Wow!

Which channel does your brain love to watch? Channel Story, every single time! Our brains are wired for stories. They help us understand, remember, and feel.

When Sam says "very stretchy slime," he’s talking to Channel Fact. When Alex says "cast spells of stretch," he’s created a mini-movie for Channel Story. Alex is speaking your brain’s favorite language.

This is the foundation of how business storytelling works. It bypasses the boring "fact-checker" part of the brain and goes straight to the part that feels excitement, dreams, and desire. It’s not about tricking people. It’s about helping them imagine a possibility so clearly they can almost touch it.

Chapter 2: The “Before” and “After” Magic Trick

Every great story has a transformation. Cinderella goes from a servant in rags to a princess at the ball. The caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Your customer wants a transformation, too.

Your job is to show two pictures:

1. The “Before” Picture: This is the problem, the frustration, the "ouch."

2. The “After” Picture: This is the solution, the joy, the "ahhh!"

Most beginners only talk about their thing that sits in the middle. The masters talk about the jump from Before to After.

Let’s Play the Transformation Game Again:

• The Thing: A new backpack.

  • Before: "My backpack is always a mess. I can’t find my homework, my straps hurt my shoulders, and it looks babyish. I feel frustrated and unorganized."

  • The Thing (The Old Way): "This backpack has 5 pockets and padded straps."

  • The After (The Storytelling Way): "Imagine slinging on your backpack and everything has its perfect place. You find your permission slip in a second. Your shoulders feel great. You walk into school feeling organized, prepared, and cool. You are the kid who has it together."

• The Thing: A cookie.

  • Before: "It’s 3 PM. I’m tired after school. My energy is gone. I feel a little grumpy."

  • The Thing (The Old Way): "This cookie has chocolate chips."

  • The After (The Storytelling Way): "One bite of this warm, chocolatey cookie is like a happiness battery recharge. Your grumpiness melts away, replaced by a sweet, energizing smile. You become the kid ready for the next adventure."

Do you see the shift? The focus moves from the object to the person’s change. This is the core of all storyteller tactics. You are selling the "After" picture. The backpack or the cookie is just the magic ticket to get there.

Chapter 3: You Are Not the Hero. You Are the Guide.

This is the most important rule in the storytelling business. In the customer’s story, they are the hero. Not you. They are Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, or Elsa. They are on their own adventure, facing their own dragons (like messy rooms or boring snacks).

So, who are you? You are the wise guide. You are Yoda, Hagrid, or Olaf. Your job is to believe in the hero, give them a helpful tool (your product or service), and show them how to use it to win.

• The Guide Says: "I’ve helped other heroes like you..." "This tool can help you overcome..." "Let me show you the way..."

• The Wannabe-Hero (Wrong!) Says: "I am the best! Look how awesome I am! Buy from me because I’m great!"

When you act as the guide, you build trust. You’re on their team. You’re not showing off; you’re helping.

Example: The Dog Walker

• Wannabe-Hero: "I am the best dog walker in town! I am so fast and strong!"

• The Guide: "Is your pup full of zoomies but you’re stuck doing homework? I help busy kid-heroes like you by giving your dog a fun, tiring adventure. You get to be the loving owner who provides the best playtime, and I’m your trusted helper. You come home to a happy, sleepy dog ready for cuddles."

The guide approach builds the customer’s story: They are the loving, responsible owner. You are just their helpful sidekick. This is crucial for brand storytelling. Your whole brand’s personality should be a reliable, helpful guide.

Chapter 4: Your Words Are Your Wand: Simple Spells to Cast

You don’t need big, fancy words to be a great storyteller. You need magic words that paint pictures. Here are the simplest and most powerful storyteller tactics for your words:

1. The “Imagine” Spell: This is the most powerful word. It directly turns on Channel Story in the brain.

• Instead of: "This blanket is soft."

• Cast the spell: "Imagine curling up with this blanket on a rainy Saturday. It’s like a cloud hugging you while you read your favorite comic."

2. The “Feel” & “Become” Spells: These words describe the transformation.

• "You’ll feel so proud when you show your parents your clean room."

• "You’ll become the artist everyone asks for posters."

3. The “Because” Bridge: This connects your feature to their story.

• Instead of: "My lemonade has real honey."

• Use the bridge: "You’ll get a slow, natural energy boost because I use real honey, so you can be the playtime champion all afternoon."

4. Tell Mini-Stories (Testimonials): When a happy customer says something nice, that’s gold! They are a hero telling their victory tale.

• Don’t just say: "Customers like me."

• Share their story: "My friend Jamie said, ‘I used your decorated notebooks and felt like a real writer. I aced my creative writing project!’"

Using these spells is the key to storytelling in business communication, whether you’re making a poster, talking to a friend, or explaining your idea to your parents.

Chapter 5: “Business Storytelling: Where to Start?” Start HERE!

If all this feels big, don’t worry! Business storytelling where to start is simple: start with ONE story. Your own.

Why did you start? What was your "Before" picture?

• Did you start a bracelet business because you felt bored and wanted to make something beautiful?

• Did you offer to weed gardens because you saw your neighbor looking tired and wanted to help?

That "why" is a story. Tell it!

"I started making bracelets when I was bored last summer. I discovered that creating something colorful made me so happy. Now, I want to share that happy, creative feeling with you! When you wear one of my bracelets, you're wearing a little piece of handmade joy."

This story does amazing things:

1. It’s true and easy to tell.

2. It makes you a relatable guide (you were bored once, too!).

3. It frames your product not as a "thing," but as a container for a feeling ("handmade joy").

This honest story is perfect for your storytelling for business pitch, whether you’re pitching to a friend, at a market, or to your family.

Chapter 6: Leveling Up: How to Grow Your Business With Storytelling

You’ve got your core story. Now, how do you go from one customer to ten, or a hundred? This is how to grow your business with storytelling. You build a story world.

1. Every Touch is a Story Chapter.
Every time someone interacts with your business, it should add to the story.

• Your stall sign? Not just a price list, but an invitation to an adventure.

• How you hand them the item? "Here you go, future Slime Wizard!"

• A simple thank you note? "Thanks for being an awesome customer! Go be amazing today."

2. Let Your Customers Be the Storytellers.
Encourage them to share their "After" picture. Ask: "Send me a photo of you as a Slime Wizard!" or "Tell me how your garden looked after we weeded it!" Then, with their permission, share those stories. Nothing is more powerful than a hero (customer) recommending a guide (you) to another hero.

3. Keep the Story Going After the Sale.
The story doesn’t end when the coins are exchanged. If you sell seeds, include a small note: "Day 1: Plant me! Day 7: Look for a sprout!" If you bake cookies, add: "Best enjoyed with a cold glass of milk while celebrating something good." This makes the customer feel the magic lasts longer.

4. Be Consistent Across Your Kingdom.
Your storytelling marketing should sound the same everywhere—on your social media, your posters, and how you talk. If your brand story is being a "fun, magical guide," don’t suddenly use boring, robotic words on Instagram. Keep the story alive in every message.

Chapter 7: Real Kid Examples: Storytelling in Action

Let’s see how this looks in real life.

Mia’s Mini-Bakery:

• Old Way: "I sell cupcakes. Vanilla or Chocolate. $2."

• Storytelling Way: "Welcome to Mia’s Mini-Bakery! Having a boring day? Transform it into a celebration! My ‘Happy Birthday-to-Anyone’ cupcakes are tiny bursts of joy. Be the person who brings the party. Your friends will thank you! (Vanilla Sunshine or Chocolate Smile, $2)."

• The Keywords in Action: Mia uses brand storytelling ("tiny bursts of joy") and storytelling for business pitch in her description to sell a better story of her customer as a fun, celebratory friend.

Leo’s Bike Helmet Decorating:

• Old Way: "I’ll put stickers on your helmet. 5 stickers for $1."

• Storytelling Way: "Is your bike helmet dull and invisible? Let’s fix that! I’ll help you design a helmet that shows off YOUR style. Become the most recognizable rider on the block! With my sticker kits, you’re not just safe—you’re a rolling piece of awesome."

• The Keywords in Action: Leo uses storyteller tactics ("Become the most recognizable rider...") and shows he understands how business storytelling works by focusing on the customer’s transformation from "dull and invisible" to a "rolling piece of awesome."

Conclusion: Your Invitation to a Bigger Adventure

So, remember the two slime stands? You can be Sam, who sells a good product. Or you can be Alex, who sells a new, exciting chapter in someone’s life.

When you embrace storytelling for business, you stop being just a seller. You become a:

• Dream Painter: Helping people see a better version of tomorrow.

• Problem Solver: Showing the path away from "Before" frustration.

• Trusted Guide: Cheering on the hero (your customer) to their victory.

Your pencil case, your lemonade, your babysitting time—they are just tools. The real product is the story of themselves that your customer is buying. Are they buying "slime," or are they buying the story of being a "Slime Wizard"?

Look at what you do or what you want to do. Ask yourself the most important question: "What great story will my customer get to tell about themselves AFTER they buy from me?"

Find that story. Tell that story. Speak it in your signs, your words, and your actions.

That is how to grow your business with storytelling. That is how you build a storytelling business that people remember, love, and talk about. Now, go be an amazing guide. A world of heroes is waiting for your help.

The End of This Guide... But The Very Beginning of Your Story.

People Don’t Buy Your Product, They Buy Your Story

This article was originally published on The Intelligent Content Blog in advance of Michael’s keynote at the Intelligent Content Conference, produced by Content Marketing Institute.

The secret to persuasion, influence, and motivation is a formula deeply grounded in storytelling.

It’s not surprising that Michael Margolis begins one of his TEDx talks like this: “I’m a junior in college and I’m walking along…” Stories and storytelling are Michael’s business and his passion.

I was delighted to chat with Michael recently by phone to explore what he has to say about the power of storytelling in the digital age. Here’s what I learned.

A story worth telling

“As human beings, we are experience-seeking, storytelling machines,” Michael says. “We are constantly seeking stories. Think of yourself at the coffee shop with friends. ‘What are you doing? What’s new? What’s going on?’”

What does storytelling have to do with intelligent content and content marketing? A lot.

Michael explains, “The way people respond to any brand is not about the content, but about the story they tell themselves about what that content means to them.”

Trained as an anthropologist, Michael talks a lot about culture and emotions. If we want to create change, whether it’s changing someone’s attitude or understanding or product choice, then we must take the time to understand that person’s existing culture. What’s that person’s story? How does he or she feel about it? Only after we answer these questions can we tell our own story in a way that will resonate and inspire change.

This isn’t always easy to do. “We’re good at being literal, but the moment you move in to emotional content and nuance, the system falls down,” he says.

A story worth telling — a story that can transform the audience in some way — takes listeners on a journey from their starting point to a new understanding. Good storytelling is about more than telling a better anecdote; it’s about how we relate to each other and to what we are creating.

“We want to invite people to think about human elements and factors that show up in the way we build intelligent content because story is all about people and the relationships between them,” Michael says.

Creating a new language of storytelling

“I graduated from college in 1998, right as the new Internet economy burst,” Michael says. “As a social entrepreneur, I felt that there was something missing from the conversation. People talked about social change in a way that didn’t sit right with me. Honestly, I didn’t have the language; I didn’t know how to tell a different story. But I knew that the way we talked about the current story needed to change.”

1. People don’t buy a product, service, or idea; they buy the story that’s attached to it.
2. Your brand is far more than a name, a logo, or a tagline; it’s the stories that people tell about you.
3. Every story exists in relationship to everything else around it.
4. We all want to look back at the story of our lives and know that it made sense.
5. The stories we tell literally make our world.
6. The power of your story grows exponentially as more and more people accept your story as their truth.
7. If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories.
8. Leaders lead by telling stories that give others permission to lead, not follow.
9. Storytelling is our most basic technology, turbocharged through 21st century innovation.
10. We all seek to experience life in heroic terms.
11. Nobody likes a change story, especially a change story we have no control over. What people really need is a continuity story.
12. Our fate as a species is contained in the story. Both tyranny and freedom are constructed through well-supported narratives.
13. Storytelling empowers because it escapes the need to claim absolute truth.
14. Reinvention is the new storyline.
15. Storytelling is like fortune-telling. The act of choosing a certain story determines the probability of the outcomes.

For more on these axioms, you can download Michael’s 88-page book for free at Believe Me: A Storytelling Manifesto for Change-Makers and Innovators. As he points out in the book’s introduction, “The secret to persuasion, influence, and motivation is a formula deeply grounded in storytelling.”

An old story in a new form

Storytelling has been around for thousands of years. Our challenge — and the challenge that Michael will be talking about in his ICC keynote talk — is integrating the architecture of storytelling into the range of digital delivery mechanisms available today.

“We continue to invent technology far faster than we can intelligently learn to use it,” Michael says. “Think of storytelling as a management framework or mindset. Storytelling is the source code to our humanity.”

Technology transforms and touches our lives in many ways. As content creators, we translate information for a variety of audiences. If we’re creating intelligent content, we also pay attention to the technology members of our audience are using, and we measure how successful our content is. Creating content that tells a story — whether it is the story of ourselves, our customers, or our products –adds meaning to our metrics. Michael and his colleagues teach workshops that focus on storytelling architecture and ways to translate the corporate (or personal) vision into a story that everyone can embrace.

“We believe in humanizing the process, in encouraging content creators to pay attention to the impact that their content has on other people’s lives,” he says.

People buy stories, not products. How to shift your marketing strategy

People don’t buy your product. They buy the story they can tell themselves after using it. Lipstick isn’t about a stick of coloured wax. Nobody is wandering around Boots thinking, “You know what I need? A small cylinder of petroleum byproduct with a pigment suspension.” They’re buying the story of how it makes their lips look, and by extension, how it makes them feel. Confidence. Attractiveness.

Maybe even power? The packaging says “long-lasting moisture.” The subtext says “you’ll look better in group photos.”

This is the Dunning-Kruger of marketing. Companies think they’re selling things. Customers are buying outcomes. It’s the same across categories. A consultancy doesn’t sell “hours.” It sells the story of a business that finally stops hemorrhaging cash.

SaaS platforms don’t sell “subscriptions.” They sell the story of sleep, specifically, the manager who no longer wakes up at 3 am wondering where the data went. Even Greggs isn’t really selling sausage rolls.

It’s selling the story of survival at 9:15am on a wet Monday when your meeting got moved forward and you’ve got nothing in your stomach but regret.

Sprout Social’s 2025 Impact of Social Media Report makes the point in numbers. Brands posted less content last year, but engagement went up nearly 20%. Consumers aren’t begging for more posts; they’re begging for better ones.

They want originality, authenticity, and community. In other words: a story they can believe, not another LinkedIn square telling them to “engage with our thought leadership.” The trap? Too many organisations think features are value. They push spec sheets and process charts like customers are sitting at home thinking,

“God, I wish someone would explain their methodology in more detail.” They’re not. They’re thinking: “Will this fix my problem? Will this make me look smarter? Will this stop me from feeling like an idiot in the meeting?” The irony is brutal. Brands that shout loudest about their product often look the blandest. The ones that sell the story.

The outcome. The transformation. The feeling. These are the ones that actually get remembered. The product is the vehicle. The story is the sale. If your marketing hasn’t made that shift, you’re not running strategy. You’re running a catalogue with delusions of grandeur. What’s the best example you’ve seen of a brand selling the story behind the product, and what made it work? - If your marketing is still product first, I can help you rewrite the story into something people actually want to buy.

🌸 About Neeti Keswani

Neeti Keswani is the founder of Plush Ink and host of the Luxury Unplugged Podcast, where luxury meets spirituality. As an author, storyteller, and self-improvement coach, she helps conscious creators and professionals align with purpose, identity, and abundance through mindset transformation and emotional healing.
Her mission is to empower people to live with intention, authenticity, and joy — blending inner work with outer success.
Connect with Neeti:
🎙️ Luxury Unplugged Podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/luxury-unplugged-podcast-where-luxury-meets-spirituality/id1551277118
📖 Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/luxuryunpluggedpodcast/
💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/neetikeswani/
🌐 Plush Ink — https://www.plush-ink.com/