Recently, I noticed a lot more chocolate shows.
(like School of Chocolate)
The TV industry is finally catching up on how fantastic chocolate is.
So, I decided to go down the rabbit hole, starting a project to research multiple chocolate ecommerces.
One interesting brand that I came across was –
RECAP OF STORYTELLING WEEKLY
Before diving in, here’s a quick recap for newcomers just tuning in to my One Story A Week Series.
– Once a week, I’ll find an interesting brand.
– I’ll break down what I like about their storytelling techniques.
– Then, I’ll show you how to utilize these techniques in email.
Full Disclaimer
I don’t have any insider info or access to their account. So, I’m writing based on studying their website, interviews, and emails. However, I don’t have proof of earning claims or results of specific campaigns.
Now, there won’t be any “hard selling” in this series, but –
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👉 Click Here to get notified of future issuesBRAND INTRODUCTION
Wildwood was founded by Steve Lawrence (the chocolatier) and Rebecca Adams Savage (the business operator).
Unlike Tony’s Chocoloney (which I wrote about a while back), Wildwood is not a bean-to-bar producer.
But this doesn’t mean they’re not unique…
If you take one look at their store, you’ll know that…
Wildwood might not be the “manufacturer,” but they are the artist.
(hey, Van Gogh didn’t produce his paints & brushes either)
STORYTELLING TACTICS
Personally, I don’t appreciate too many ingredients in my chocolates.
(that’s why I like chocolate ganache the most)
But even I have to admit…
For Wildwood Chocolate, there are a lot of stories you can tell.
To give you an example:
One of their signature products is the Berry Berry.
It’s a 75% dark chocolate bar decorated with abundant dried strawberries and raspberries. It looks like a booming rose garden – vibrant with color.
The definition of romantic.
Imagine your loved one opening the package to a sweet gift that combines the romance of chocolate with flowers. The perfect Valentine’s gift.
This is the unique advantage of creating artistic products.
Because art is a form of storytelling.
EMAIL TIP OF THE WEEK
One of the lessons I learned from my mentor, Daniel Throssell, is the importance of Narrative.
Narrative:
a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
– Oxford Languages
Narrative is the little sound in the back of our heads, trying to make sense of every purchase.
We want a story to convince ourselves that we NEED this product.
To give you a few examples:
- “MCT is like a special, highly efficient energy for your brain.”
- “Lutein is the Vitamin for eyes.”
- “Chocolate is like natural Viagra.”
Narratives help your customer understand your product in a simple (& approachable) way.
It helps bring the product alive.
(It also helps your customers justify spending $14 on your chocolate… rather than buying a KitKat bar for $1.32.)
But this isn’t the only benefit.
The best thing about a narrative is…
A good narrative is always entertaining.
And entertainment is the ONLY way to keep your subscribers interested (and engaged) with your email campaigns.
Conclusion
When it comes to marketing, it’s all about narrative.
It’s not enough to have “good quality.”
Good quality is given in today’s world.
You want to provide a narrative for your products so that your prospects can justify WHY they should buy from you.
If you don’t give them a narrative, they’ll come up with their own.
And in most cases…
You won’t like that result because it’s always about the price.