Why We Love Visual Storytelling (And You Should, Too!)

Article by: Mark Thogmartin, VP of Business Development, DISRUPT Media (creators of the FUNERAL Social Design Process)

Last year, I had the wonderful privilege of helping my son move his place of residence, his 33 foot long sailboat, from Charleston, South Carolina to southern Florida where he intended to find work that wasn’t so seasonal. We left New Year’s eve on an adventure that took 4 weeks to complete. All but one day was spent traveling on the IntraCoastal Waterway while navigating through shallow inlets, down man-made canals, and under numerous bridges…many of them being of the drawbridge variety. We survived the Polar Vortex onslaught with 20 degree temperatures and biting 30 mph winds and, only a week later, kept an eye to the sky due to tornado warnings. The scenery and wildlife was spectacular, our beards grew shaggy, our clothes got smelly, and the fellowship was sweet.

All during the adventure I posted photos and updates on Facebook. The number of “likes” grew as the journey progressed. Many people told me how sad they were when our trip ended. Even today, more than a year later, folks tell me how much they enjoyed the story of our adventure, wondering when I might be taking another trip because they wanted to experience it vicariously…on Facebook.

My posts were not long, most being only a paragraph or two. But they were regular. People looked for my content each day as they browsed. I always included a photo or a brief video:

 

This illustrates the power of storytelling. We all love a good story, and this kind of content gets the highest engagement on the social media. If you want to draw people to your business, increasing exposure and warm feelings toward what you do, tell them an engaging story! What kinds of stories might you tell? Consider these:

• Post a photo of a personalized funeral (with the permission of the family, of course), and explain the impact it had on the friends and family of the deceased.
• Tell about your funeral home’s humble beginnings, including a vintage photograph or two.
• Food. We all love it! Perhaps your secretary has some amazing recipes to share. Be sure to take an enticing photograph. Or shoot a video explaining how to make the tasty dish.
• Family. One sure fire hit is to include a photograph of 3 or 4 generations together (example: great grandfather, grandfather, son, grandson)  if your home has been in the family for a long time.
• Funny. Surely you’ve got a story to tell about something comical that happened in the past at your establishment. Be sure the photo you include gets the attention of readers.
• Friends. Has someone famous passed through your home as the deceased or as a relative?

By now, dozens of other ideas may be going through your mind. Write them down and use them on a regular basis. Your engagement should begin to increase in a noticeable way.

How do you post photographs and video to Facebook? The “Help” menu on your Facebook home page explains how. But if creating a visual story is something that is too time consuming or too daunting for you, turn to the experts at DISRUPT Media. We are the only full-service social media agency specifically catering to the funeral profession. Go to http://funeralsocial.com to find out how were helping funeral homes across the global tell their story and build valuable relationships with their communities.