Storytelling for B2B SaaS - Shannon Deep & Kevan Lee

The talk, "Storytelling for B2B SaaS - Shannon Deep \u0026 Kevan Lee," explores practical ways to apply storytelling principles for Business-to-Business (B2B) Software as a Service (SaaS) companies. The speakers, Shannon Deep and Kevan Lee, co-founders at Bonfire with experience in brand building (including Buffer), introduce the agenda. They define brand storytelling as creating narratives uniquely true to the brand, consistently told over time to build an emotional connection. A key point highlighted is the gap in B2B companies between inspirational brand stories (purpose, vision) and practical aspects like differentiation, measurement, and conversion. The agenda covers defining brand storytelling, quantifying impact, discussing the unquantifiable, providing tips, and sharing examples. Measurement metrics discussed include aided/unaided recall, brand reach, differentiation, and conversion rates. The importance of both measurable and unmeasurable aspects in building trust is emphasized. Practical tips include creating consistent brand narratives across channels and touchpoints. Four narrative types—category, product, persona, and culture—are introduced. Consistency, especially over time, is stressed for building trust. Examples, like Loom's narrative shift from a screen recorder to focusing on video messaging for work, illustrate effective implementation. The talk concludes with a Q&A session addressing questions about messaging, AI's role, and the frequency of brand surveys. The importance of a human touch in brand creation is emphasized.