Storytelling: stories that will let you sell products

Do you want me to buy your product? Tell me a story. Your story. And make me part of it. This is how brands sell in the 21st century. And this is how a saleswoman sold me yesterday a perfume. I did not buy it, but she sold it to me. I mean, although the sale did not materialize at that time, I have already been sold it. It was that saleswoman, at that time, in that shop.

001 Loewe Man and 001 Loewe Woman
I went in with my partner. He just wanted to smell Loewe's new perfume for men and find out its price. He was assessing what it was intented to be a gift for him. But to our surprise, it all became an introduction show of the fragrance. "I can not show you this perfume on its own, because it is meant to be as part of a whole. It is complemented by the woman fragrance and it is designed like that, it works this way."

We unexpectedly found ourselves astonished at the presentation protocol of the perfume. She sprayed us some man perfume on one wrist, some woman perfume on the other wrist. We waited for a few seconds, so it would dry a little and we would be able to smell them separately. Then we joined the two wrists without rubbing them. And voilà. The fragrances were fused and a new perfume came up.

A classic brand like Loewe, which has always been positioned in the market as elegant and discreet fragrances, has made a commitment to modernity and innovation conceiving a perfume that is also customized. "The fragrance is obtained from two fragrances (man and woman) and it is personalized, according to the proportion of the mixture."

The show had not finished yet. After the presentation of how, the explanation of why took over. "The fragrance is born of a story, a love story". I consider myself quite as a sentimental, romantic and sensitive person, I must admit. So, at this point I suddenly noticed how that sentence was entering directly into the world of my emotions. I felt for a moment like "oh no please, now it's when I'm gonna cry" but it was fleeting, I managed to cool down and hold back myself instantly.

The seller went on: "It's the story of two people meeting, being attracted by each other, spending the night together, thus merging their fragrances. And thereafter the magic and uncertainty coming next. That's what this perfume is inspired on."

Everyone can feel more or less connection with this story, depending on whether you have ever had this experience or feelings. But this is what they are looking for: the connection, the identification that the potential customers can establish with the story that the brand is telling us.

And more explanations came afterwards. The most "technical", specific product details, which are also relevant within the sales speech. "In order to create this aroma, the fragrances are not very intense or heavy. They both contain few floral notes, have a common basis -with notes of bergamot and sandalwood- and then other specific notes for each one of them: vanilla and jasmine in hers, for instance".

While living this experience in the store my head could not stop thinking "it's a master play". From the strategic point of view, they developed an original and creative idea intended to position themselves in a territory that customers can associate with the brand and where they can achieve emotional connections with them. All that is unquestionable, that's what storytelling is all about. But from the business point of view, they are aiming to increase sales by forcing the purchase of the two fragrances. There will be those who enter the game and buy the two perfumes, and there will be those who do not enter and buy only one of them. But the chances of maximizing revenue are increasing, thanks to "double" purchases occurring. In addition, they are dragging the buyer's partner towards the brand. In my case, for example, I am delighted with my perfume (which is not Loewe). And I used to perfume myself with a Loewe fragrance in the past but this was many years ago, more than 20! This way, if we end up buying "the story", they are making me come back to the brand. So Loewe is not only getting incomes but also winning new customers, sometimes rescuing former brand clients.

As we left the store we talked for a while about the experience and agreed that it seemed like a perfect gift for our upcoming wedding anniversary. Can you see that? They not only managed to have both of us connecting with our emotions but also mentally schemming the ideal moment of purchase. It's amazing. The fragrance definitely permeated us. And let me insist on this: yesterday we did not buy it, but they already sold it to us.