About Garvington Creative

Storyfied marketing: A primer

Although we sometimes refer to the human brain as a computer, it’s really an operating system wired to interpret the world through stories. But too many good businesses fail to use storytelling techniques with their marketing. The result is that they’re unpersuasive, easily forgettable, or confusing. They might build a logical case for doing business with them, but the gatekeeper to the head is quite often the heart.

We make our decisions based on emotion and intuition, only to rationalize them after the fact.

If you want your marketing to work, it doesn’t require you to be a great storyteller, but the use of story form is key. My approach to marketing is to use stories and storytelling techniques to make you memorable and enticing. Sometimes those stories are richly inspiring, or hilarious, or outrageous. But if nothing else, they paint an inviting picture for your clients.

How I became a marketing copywriter and advisor

I grew into marketing in a roundabout way, but once I got there it was a really obvious choice of vocation. Here’s a synopsis:

First, writing has always been a cornerstone of my sanity. I self-selected lots of writing intensive courses throughout my education, and even after having hundreds of articles and websites published I feel a bit of a buzz when I get something new published.

Second, I founded a running club in the spring of 2014, which required me to do a lot of marketing stuff for the first time. It sounds amateurish, and in some ways it was, but it was also very fun and successful. I had to think about business and persuasion in new ways while writing sponsorship proposals, clearly define a purpose and culture, plan and promote events, learn social media marketing basics, and follow through on promises to the business who lent me various forms of support.

Third, I became broadly interested in business in my early 30s and completed the rigorous Global Social & Sustainable Enterprises MBA program at Colorado State University. Through the GSSE program I got to see a lot of inspiring examples of businesses driving positive change in the world. And I also earned my business spurs.

Finally, I became a StoryBrand Certified Guide in April of 2019. The training was fairly arduous and gave me unique resources and expertise applying the StoryBrand 7-Part (SB7) Framework.

The SB7 Framework has helped thousands of businesses thrive, and there’s reems of data to prove it. One of the books I buy for a lot of clients is Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller, an entertaining read that lays out the framework and philosophy.

My work is purposeful and fun to me and to my clients.

I’m your nerdy marketing guide

Marketing, for all the jargon and business school gobbledygook, is basically about using words to promote ideas. I’m a nerd from a nerdy family. I get words!

Businesses that keep their clients top-of-mind deserve to thrive. As a marketing advisor I focus on the conversations you’re having with customers, partners, team members, donors and other stakeholders. I believe there are two questions at the heart of a great brand:

• What pisses you off that also pisses your clients off?
• What inspires you that also inspires clients?

Once you can answer those questions succinctly, you and your stakeholders have a shared purpose. When you can communicate a shared purpose in story form, you have a memorable, enticing brand. That’s the foundation for successful marketing. It creates trust and helps people have productive conversations.

All theory and philosophy aside, I know two things about you: You want your marketing to work and you don’t want it to feel like rocket science. If you hire me, you’ll be satisfied on both counts.

Warm regards,

John Garvey
Principal and Chief Storytelling Officer
Garvington Creative