How do we get people to fall in love with our product?

Content Marketing Works ... When People Fall in Love With Your Story

Every year I search for a pair of summer sandals that are:

A. Stylish enough to wear with a sundress

B. Comfortable enough to wear all day at Disneyland

(Not that I do either very often.) And every year, I fail. Except this year. This year, I found myself at REI -- originally surfing the camping gear -- in the hanging flop aisle. Sporty flops. Shower flops. Surf flops. No Shelly flops. About to turn away, I spot black-and-white gingham. And the hangtag: "Made Outta Real Yoga Mat." Really? I love yoga. I should practice more often. The tag goes on to tell me these flops will provide more stability and balance than going barefoot -- just like a yoga mat. I slip them on. Ah, they also have grip and cushion. I don't want to take them off. I'm hooked. I want them. In fact, I want every color, and I want to buy them for all my friends. That's powerful content marketing. The story, the benefits of wearing these flops made the sale. They are not the most stylish flops in my closet, but they are worn most often.

What Could Make Them Even Better:

• If they had been literally made out of recycled yoga mats
• If I could recycle a worn-out pair and get a coupon for a new pair
• If they had an equivalently stylish and compelling men's version (they might, but not at REI). The men's Sanuk flops were made out of the same material as "beer cozies." For some reason, that story didn't have the same impact.

What makes your brand or product instantly lovable? Can you tell the story in a compelling way in the space of a hangtag? Does the story carry through to other messaging -- online content, business cards, direct mail? Are you in love with the story? By the way, I was not paid or provided any incentive by anyone to write about this product. If I was, I would tell you. But it still wouldn't influence my opinion.Not consciously, anyway.