How To Solve Problem Through Storytelling and Content Writing

 

Every establishment is designed to solve a problem. Your brand is in business because you have a solution to the problem your client seeks. Our lives are constantly evolving and change is inevitable but there is a constant factor that continues to be a part of human existence no matter how advanced our lives become. This is the powerful role storytelling plays in our lives. Stories stick to the brain more than facts or statistics do. Stories provide connection and relatability. Stories have been adopted by world leaders, company leaders, and activists to build a connection with their audience and derive the expected reaction. 

The interesting thing is that you can apply storytelling in every area you can think of. Businesses use storytelling to convert more sales, movements started because of the stories that were told, and team collaboration is established because of stories, on a personal level you have a problem solved because you listened to the story shared by that person. Storytelling remains the way we connect authentically with others because our brains are wired for stories.

The story takes the form of context, problem, and solution. These are what makes a story a story. Tell us what the situation is, identify the problem ramped with emotions and how the solution came about, or how you were able to overcome the problem. You can see that storytelling is problem-solving itself. The more reason why people connect easily with it is that it is relatable and they can see themselves in your situation. They will stick to it till the end of the story to get the solution that they can apply to their lives to achieve success as you did.

 

One amazing thing about our brain is its ability to decide what it wants and what it enjoys the most.

I remember how it took me a day to finish a book which was based on a story about racism and I am still stuck on reading ‘Eat you Frog by Brian Tracy’ till forever. Recently, I was analysing how that happened and I realised it is what my brain enjoyed I actually did first. It is almost the same for everyone except there are exceptional reasons.

But honestly, why would I leave an interesting piece that can also solve my problem for a book full of strict facts? Our brain needs sugar; something that can keep it going.

In the world we found ourselves today, everyone surely has one story or the other to say. It could be about their personal experiences, what they witnessed or whatever. Bottom line, everyone knows how to tell a story.

What about Content Writing?

Everybody can can be a writer'. Nevertheless, our content has different values and worth.

You can tell a story non-stop for hours, but are your audience flowing? Are they enjoying it? Do you have their full attention?

You can write tons of words per post, but can you retain your readers? How longer can they put up with what they are reading?

Now, this brings us to a conclusion that there is more to Storytelling and Content Writing. Your content and your story should solve problems, not just a particular problem but in various aspects of life. Just like we can remember a story we heard in our childhood and relate it to how it helped solved our problems then, so also, it is relevant that this happens in our present life.

How then can you solve a lot of problems through storytelling and content writing?
·         What problem do you want to solve?

This answers how you will go about achieving this title. What problem do you want to solve exactly? This makes you understand what your writing and your story is being targeted at.

Remember when we were kids, we were told certain stories so we could remember what we learnt. It made it easier for us to understand what we were being taught. Remember the popular story of the tortoise and the dog; we were able to understand what the term ‘Greedy’ means without even being able to define it. That is how it is for all other aspects.

Are you going to solve a fashion problem? Are you trying to motivate people? As long as you are aware of whatever problem you have to solve, things become easier.
·         Add some spice

If you want to solve a problem with either storytelling or content writing, you should not cause your audience more problems by boring them out.

Add some spice mehn, you know?

Do you know what keeps me awake in my church sermon? Those pastors do very well in storytelling. One moment, I am smiling so hard because I can relate to their stories; another moment, I just can’t help but focus. Adding some spice to your content is everything.

Seriously, why would you read a content that you cannot even smile about? I don’t think that should happen.

Well, I feel I just attacked myself.

Sometimes, I might just need to meet a deadline and would not even consider how my readers would feel once they read my content.

But, Bro, really? Your content needs to have what can make people stay.
·         Be precise and detailed

Did I just cause you confusion?

No vex!

Be precise when necessary and be detailed when necessary. There are some things that you should not even talk much about and there are some things that need more emphasis. You need to know when to pause, when to continue, or else your audience would get tired.

You know, there is this amazing thing about twitter people sha. It is the way they keep the flow. They know when to stop and when not to.

This skill does not fall from the sky; it is something you must study in humans. If you digress and say what you are not supposed to say in the story, you would forfeit the sole purpose of what you are doing or whatever problem you want to solve.

You are to tell a story or give a content that would pass information or solve a problem, so focus on it.
·         Use the right words and context

I don’t really know if this point is necessary but I think I should talk about it. You should remember that different stories fall into different categories. How relevant is your piece to whatever problem you want to solve? Do you tell a children story to solve an adult problem?

Recently, I wrote a piece on how the government has failed all Nigerian students. You don’t expect me to come up with some lame story that Nigerian students cannot even relate to; but, instead I made deliberations on what they could relate to so much. The main problem I was trying to solve was depression. I made my story factual and relatable. I created an avenue for me to use the right words at this particular situation. This helped me tackle the problem I intended to solve and that is what we expect most times when we create content or a story.

This point means a lot of things and only you can get to know what it means to you and how it can help you.

It takes a lot to solve a problem and it is something we should always do with sense!

 
 

Storytelling For Brands

Brands thrive by having a brand story. There has to be a story behind your brand. Share it. Storytelling is not told for the fun of it but this is what people connect to, they remember it and it's better than just telling facts or statistics.  For example, let's say you're launching a new software program that is designed to help brands manage their finances. You could break down the information into smaller stories that reveal (not just explain) how the software works and what it can do for those who use it. Or, you could tell (show) a story about a business owner who was struggling to keep track of their expenses and how the software helped them to get their finances under control.

One problem brands often face is determining how to get their message across to their audience, particularly when dealing with complex concepts and ideas.

Similarly, when communicating the complexities of a product to clients, storytelling should be your go-to. By breaking down information into smaller, more digestible pieces and then sharing stories about each piece, storytellers can simplify concepts and make information more approachable and easier to understand, especially for those hearing it for the first time. This will help your audience to recognize the problem you are trying to solve and understand how to get the solution as well.

Storytelling can be applied to other areas not just to brands. And if you’re trying to solve a problem remember to use storytelling to convey your messages. This shows you understand the audience and they can easily build a connection with you that can lead to trust and loyalty. 

 

 Problem Solving is the process of coming up with solutions to mitigate or eradicate prevailing challenges. It can be achieved through different mediums. As a problem solver, your responsibility is to figure out what methods accomplish your objectives and the context of a problem.

In the first article by Obianuju Nwafor, justice was done to this case. In this article, I'll be discussing extensively the nature and importance of storytelling and content writing to problem-solving including a bonus on how to get started.

One way or the other, we are all solving problems but we get it done in different ways. As problem solvers, most times we are boxed in by the likely tendency to create something out of nothing or create something from an existing enigma using complex and sophisticated methods.

Do I have to be 'Thomas Edison' to solve a problem? 'Elon Musk'? Do I have to be knowledgeable in the use of machine language, programming, project management, and jargon languages to solve problems? Does that bother you?

How about an ancient yet proven way of solving problems? Writing and Storytelling go way back in history. Historically, children and toddlers would gather around village elders to listen to stories that impart moral and lasting legacies. These elders would teach good character building, values, and community development using Folktales.

Folktales are oral customs passed across with the use of storytelling. In the same way, we see the Bible - an old collection of books written over 15 centuries yet still serves as an indispensable guide for those of the Christian faith and is regarded as one of the best-selling books of all time.

Content writing and Storytelling still embody a strong forte in this present day and time. Daily, billions of us are curious about subjects, and circumstances that we come in contact with in our workplace, businesses, academics and others. We all need answers to general and peculiar questions.

What's most important is the urgency that comes with the demand.

What I'm trying to drive at is that content writing and storytelling could be one of the most oblivious ways to solve problems. Many are solving problems with these methods but probably don't realise that they are.

Content writing and storytelling are stellar ways to achieve social and economic development. They help convey and express our messages, ideas, opinions and intervention in ways that a wider audience understands.

Content writing is a frequent word on the net used by brands to communicate their message. It also includes a short or long description of their product and services for a target audience using platforms like web hosting services and social media platforms.

Storytelling is a complementary way of content writing and is often regarded as a content marketing strategy. Many content writers infuse storytelling into their writing style as it has been proven to gain engagement and increase website visits.

Today, brands leverage storytelling to describe their message since most of their audience find it more relatable. Companies and organisations - for-profit and non-profit organisations are using content writing and storytelling through various media platforms to create, scale, and sustain profit and impact.

Most organisations, firms, and agencies have a presence online since a greater % of their audience exists online. You can read my article on building an online presence here. Thus, a good response to this is that they make use of online platforms to bridge the communication between what they offer and the audience they are providing for. A good factor of their online presence is anchored by content writing and storytelling

For example, Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage company uses storytelling to connect and appeal to its audience across various countries and this can be attributed to a considerable part of its success in consumer engagement.

Individual brands also leverage these methods to build their network and influence. They identify a need and address this need by communicating in relatable stories thus appealing to their audience. As a result, they are perceived as 'original'.

International Organisations like the United Nations also buy into this non-negotiable way of problem-solving. They make use of writing and storytelling to promote most of their media campaigns thus fostering the implementation of sustainable development goals.

'ONE' - a social development campaign that uses content and storytelling via Email to gain the support of average citizens to achieve the cessation of extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030. Other businesses include AirBnB and this is how their marketing looks - they get customers to state their experiences through stories.

Also, many blogs provide answers to search queries leveraging 'content writing'.

Why use Content writing and Storytelling to Solve Problems?

    Easy and Simple
    Easy to connect to beneficiaries and stakeholders
    A reliable way to track impact
    A sustainable way to solve problems
    A reference point for new solutions

How do you Solve Problems with Content Writing and Storytelling?

Now that you are familiar with the potential of content writing and storytelling, How do you solve problems with them? Just like any problem-solving process, it follows the same route:

1. Identify a problem you want to solve

Before coming up with a solution, it's critical to identify a problem.  In this case, you have to identify your users/beneficiaries/audience. Identifying and understanding a problem will help you develop relevant and acceptable solutions.


2. Come up with a list of Ideas
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Done with step 1? Great. The next thing is to come up with a list of solutions. It's advisable to come up with a long list of possible ideas. At this stage, you should think without limits. Come up with solutions that sound great for the identified problem.


3. Evaluate

Now, it's time to investigate step 2. Like the 'Lock and Key' model, all the ideas you came up with in the brainstorming phase wouldn't fit in due to varying conditions.


You have to examine your ideas and choose the most feasible idea i.e. Would it work considering available resources, market acceptability, and identified risks? Can it solve the problem as highlighted in step 1?


4. Research

Research is necessary for developing solid arguments and solutions. Without this, you will likely come up with baseless solutions to an identified problem.

At this stage, you are tasked with understanding the problem, the users, existing solutions, market, area, and context. Also, this stage helps you come up with ideal ways to execute, sustain, and scale your solutions. Coming down to the heart of this article - inputs from this stage can define how you approach 'storytelling' and 'content writing'.


5. Share your solution

This "consummates" the efforts in steps 1-4. At this stage, content writing and storytelling come to play. Modern-day, this passes as an ideal way to reach stakeholders and scale your solution. For example, startups pitch their business ideas to investors using storytelling in their pitch deck presentations.

6. Gather feedback

With storytelling and content writing, It's easy to get feedback. Feedback is crucial for continuity in development. Since most audiences find it relatable, they can connect to the message being passed across and are most likely to engage by sharing their stories and opinions.

7. Expand your idea

Storytelling and Content writing are flexible ways of solving problems.It's easy to expand your solution. In the first article by Obianuju, she mentioned that brands create short and digestible content - also meaning that more exclusive stories and write-ups could consistently emerge from your demo.

Finally, another perk of solving problems using these methods is that you can share other people's solutions E.g. Content writers are hired by brands to convey their message to a target audience and these professionals work with storytelling and content writing standards.