AMA: Clari VP, Solutions Marketing, April Rassa on Storytelling

The key is developing a shared narrative that everyone can champion. Start by facilitating workshops with cross-functional teams—Sales, Product, Engineering, and Customer Success—to gather perspectives on what truly differentiates the product. Use real-world examples from customers to ground the discussion. Once you identify the core differentiators, document them in a clear, concise, and easily repeatable format. Regular check-ins and reinforcement through internal communications are crucial to maintaining alignment.

When your differentiator is deeply technical, such as a proprietary algorithm developed over a decade, it’s important to focus on the “so what” factor. Instead of going too deep into the technical specifics, highlight the outcomes and impact this technology enables for the customer. For example, "Our proprietary algorithm reduces operational overhead by 25%, giving teams more time to focus on high-value tasks." Tailor your messaging to your audience’s level of technical fluency, offering deeper dives for those who need it.

To make your brand the protagonist of your story, start by positioning it as an enabler of your customer’s success. Frame the narrative around the challenges your customers face and how your brand’s innovation plays a pivotal role in solving them. Personify your brand by using a consistent tone and values in all communications, and ensure that your product becomes synonymous with overcoming real-world problems.

In less than 15 seconds, your messaging needs to be laser-focused on the value you deliver. To differentiate in that short window, focus on one powerful, customer-centric benefit that clearly addresses their pain point. Keep it simple, impactful, and specific. For example, “We help you close deals 30% faster” or “Cut operational costs by 20% in just one month.” Leverage strong verbs, avoid jargon, and lead with the outcome. The goal is to immediately answer “what’s in it for me” for your audience in a way that sticks.

The effectiveness of storytelling can be measured through both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Look at engagement rates, message recall in customer surveys, and conversion metrics. Sales and customer feedback are critical—ask if they can retell the story in their own words and if it resonates. Tools like A/B testing for messaging variations can provide real-time feedback on what’s working.

I often use frameworks like the “Hero’s Journey,” where the customer is the hero, and the product is the guide helping them achieve their goal. Another approach is Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD), focusing on what the customer is trying to accomplish, and then positioning the product as the best solution. Consistently bringing the focus back to the customer’s needs ensures that the story remains relevant and impactful.

Sure. The final outputs of storytelling efforts typically distill down into a core set of value propositions that are clear, concise, and targeted. These value props serve as the foundation for all messaging and communication across various channels. Usually a well-structured storytelling effort can produce the following: Number of Value Propositions: * Generally, 3-5 key value propositions are ideal. This ensures focus while covering the core benefits that matter most to your audience. Each value prop should address a different aspect of customer needs, from high-level business outcomes to specific pain points. Some examples can be as follows ... Example Structure of Value Propositions: 1. Outcome-Oriented Proposition: * Example: "Close deals 30% faster with our AI-powered pipeline management." * Why it works: It focuses on a tangible result (faster deals) and gives a reason (AI-powered). 2. Efficiency Proposition: * Example: "Automate manual tasks and free up 20 hours a week for your team." * Why it works: Clear time savings make it easy for customers to understand the immediate value. 3. Cost-Saving Proposition: * Example: "Cut operational costs by 15% with a single, integrated platform." * Why it works: Directly addresses the bottom line with a quantifiable savings figure. 4. Customer Experience Proposition: * Example: "Deliver personalized customer journeys that drive 25% higher engagement." * Why it works: Focuses on improving the customer’s customer, which resonates with brands seeking to enhance their own service. 5. Innovation Proposition: * Example: "Future-proof your business with cutting-edge AI that scales as you grow." * Why it works: Taps into forward-looking needs, focusing on longevity and adaptability. How They Look: * Visually: Each value prop is often delivered as a headline with a short explanation, ideally supported by product imagery, an icon, or some kind of data point(s). * In Copy: These are woven into every layer of communication—whether on the website, in pitch decks, customer emails, or ad copy. The language is crisp, actionable, and free from jargon. Each proposition also includes substantiation, whether that’s customer stories, statistics, or product demos that back up the claims. This ensures consistency across channels, making it easy for anyone—sales reps, marketers, or executives—to reinforce the same story.

One example of failure in shaping a new narrative was when we leaned too heavily into technical superiority and didn’t connect enough with the customer's pain points. As a result, the messaging didn’t resonate because it was too abstract and inaccessible. What I learned is that no matter how innovative the product, the story must always be anchored in real, relatable outcomes for the customer. A balance between technical and emotional connection is essential.

To stand out, focus on building emotional connections and offering a distinct customer experience. Instead of just talking about features, speak to the transformation your solution offers. Leverage customer success stories, align with market trends, and emphasize your company’s unique vision. Differentiation can also come from the way you deliver your message—whether it’s through exceptional customer service, thought leadership, or unique POV content that is differentiated and of value to your buyer personas.

Top of funnel content is your awareness stage. You'e building awareness and sparking general interest by educating your target personas on the problem and proposed ways to solve it without directly chest beating your own solution. Examples can be: blog post, infographic, teaser video Middle of funnel content is usually for the consideration stage. It's deeper level of content that lays out the problem, focusing on how your solution/or product can address it. You demonstrate credibility by diving into features, case studies, and success stories. Present how you solve the identified pain points more effectively than competitors. Examples can be: white paper, solution brief, webinar Bottom of the funnel content is geared towards the decision stage. This is where you want to emphasize trust, ROI, and specific use cases. Your story should now be product-specific and persuasive. Examples can be: Customer value study, product tour, recorded solution demo, ROI analysis

I have two to share --- Failure Story: Overly Technical Messaging Context: We were launching a highly technical, proprietary solution focused on automating complex workflows for enterprise customers. Our initial messaging centered on the advanced capabilities of the automation engine, emphasizing its speed, precision, and underlying technology stack. What Went Wrong: The messaging didn’t resonate with the target audience, as it was too focused on technical details and lacked a clear connection to the customer’s needs. The story we told was product-centric, filled with technical jargon, and didn’t explain how it would make life easier for the end users. As a result, prospects felt overwhelmed and disconnected from the benefits, leaving us with minimal engagement. What I Learned: * Lead with outcomes, not technology: While technical superiority is important, the audience cares more about how it affects them—whether it simplifies processes, reduces manual errors, or improves operational efficiency. We needed to communicate that in simpler, more practical terms. * Make the story relatable: The initial approach alienated users because they couldn’t relate to the deep technical specifics. We should have used examples or scenarios that mirrored the everyday problems our solution solved for them. Success Story: Customer-Centric Storytelling Context: In a later campaign, we pivoted to focus on real-world outcomes, showcasing how our solution improved operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks. The messaging was built around relatable pain points—teams spending too much time on manual processes, missing deadlines due to human error, or struggling with system integration. We highlighted customer success stories that demonstrated how using our platform reduced errors and streamlined workflows. What Went Right: We told the story from the customer’s perspective, showing the specific challenges they faced before implementing our solution, and how it positively impacted their daily operations—without overwhelming them with technical details. By focusing on their journey, we illustrated how the product fit seamlessly into their existing workflow, simplifying tasks and improving accuracy. What Worked: * Humanize the problem: By speaking to common frustrations—like manual data entry or errors in complex processes—we made the story relatable. Prospects could immediately see themselves in those scenarios. * Tangible results: Instead of abstract technical features, we showcased outcomes like "reduced manual tasks by 40% in the first month" and "cut processing errors by half." These numbers grounded the narrative in results that mattered to them. * Simple, clear messaging: The focus on practical benefits and easy-to-understand examples made the story accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences. What I Learned: * Customer-first storytelling: Shifting the focus to how the solution improves daily operations for end-users makes the narrative far more compelling. * Clear, actionable results: Providing specific, quantifiable outcomes helps build trust and provides a clear sense of the solution’s impact on workflow improvement. Takeaways: * Failure results when messaging gets lost in the technical weeds and doesn’t connect with the audience's daily challenges. * Success comes when you simplify the story, focusing on real-world outcomes that your product enables, while making it easy for prospects to relate to those challenges and see the value.

Well, there are engagement metrics worth looking into such as: * Content Consumption: Track metrics such as page views, time on page, and bounce rates for your storytelling assets (e.g., blogs, white papers, videos). High engagement signals that the story is capturing attention. * Video Completion Rates: For video storytelling, monitor how many viewers watch until the end. A high completion rate shows that the story is compelling. * Downloads or Shares: Measure how often your storytelling assets (e.g., eBooks, infographics) are downloaded or shared. This indicates that the content resonates with the audience enough for them to pass it on. Then you should measure message recall such as: * Surveys and Feedback: Use customer or prospect surveys to ask if the key message of your story was clear and memorable. How easily can they retell your story in their own words? * Sales Feedback: Gather feedback from your sales team on whether prospects are recalling and resonating with the narrative. Are they mentioning the key points during discussions? Demand generation and conversion rates such as: * Top-of-Funnel Performance: Track how many new leads or inquiries your storytelling efforts generate. Are more prospects entering the funnel as a result of the content you’ve created? * Middle-of-Funnel Conversion Rates: Measure whether your storytelling assets help move leads down the funnel. Does content like case studies or white papers tied to your narrative convert prospects to the next stage (e.g., from consideration to decision)? * Bottom-of-Funnel Conversions: Assess whether storytelling directly impacts purchasing decisions. Are prospects who engage with the narrative more likely to close? Brand sentiment such as: * Social Media Monitoring: Track mentions of your brand and products on social media to see how people are reacting to the story. Are they discussing your messaging in a positive light? * Net Promoter Score (NPS): Measure customer satisfaction and loyalty. If your storytelling is effective, it should improve how customers perceive the brand and whether they are likely to recommend it. A/B test what's resonating and use your sales team to guage: * Sales Cycle Impact: Measure whether the storytelling efforts have shortened the sales cycle. Is the narrative making it easier for sales teams to engage and close deals faster? * Sales Team Adoption: Gauge whether the sales team is actively using the story. Are they incorporating it into their pitches and finding it helpful in addressing customer pain points? * A/B Test: Run A/B tests on different versions of your messaging to see which storylines perform best. This can include testing different headlines, narratives, or calls to action in emails, landing pages, or ads.

Bring in cross-functional teams early in the process—Sales, Marketing, Product, Customer Success, and Executive Leadership—so they have a say in shaping the story. Engaging them from the beginning builds ownership and ensures that all perspectives are considered. May consider holding workshops or brainstorming sessions where each department shares their views on the product’s value and customer needs. This creates a sense of shared purpose from the outset. While the core narrative remains consistent, tailor the messaging for specific departments. Sales might need a customer-centric pitch, while Product may need more technical messaging. However, the essence of the story should stay the same across teams. Develop "message frameworks" for different teams that are rooted in the same core narrative but customized for how each team engages with customers. Alignment isn’t a one-time event—it requires regular check-ins and updates. Use internal newsletters, Slack channels, or town halls to update the organization on any shifts in the narrative or new insights that may shape the messaging. Host monthly or quarterly alignment meetings where cross-functional teams can discuss how the messaging is working in their department, what’s resonating with customers, and share feedback for adjustments. Lastly, Make sure all teams are trained on the story and messaging, especially Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success. This ensures that when they engage with customers, they communicate the same core message. Offer workshops, role-playing sessions, and quick reference materials that help teams learn how to articulate the narrative in different customer-facing scenarios.

Yes, its so key to be able to do this! A few ways you can do this: Use data to frame the problem: Start with data that highlights the pain points your audience is facing. For example, if a product helps improve operational efficiency, cite industry statistics or internal data showing the common inefficiencies or bottlenecks in similar businesses. This grounds the story in a relatable problem. Customer Segmentation: Use insights about your audience segments to tailor the story to their specific needs. Different personas or industries have different pain points, so incorporating relevant data helps make the story feel personalized. For example, executives might care more about strategic outcomes, while product teams focus on technical performance. Quantify outcomes: Use data to show the tangible impact of your product or service. Instead of telling your audience what your product does, show them how it has made a difference with numbers that reflect success. Use metrics such as time saved, error reduction, or customer satisfaction increases to provide concrete proof. Benchmarking against competitors: If possible, use comparative data to highlight why your product stands out in the market. Use competitive insights to frame how your solution outperforms others in critical areas. Combine qualitative and quantitative insights: Pair customer testimonials or use cases with supporting data to humanize the story. While data provides credibility, stories from real customers help to create an emotional connection. Identify patterns: Use aggregated data from multiple customers or industries to highlight patterns that make your story more compelling. Data trends provide a broader narrative, allowing you to show how your solution solves widespread issues.