How a ‘True Story’ Strategy Makes Customers Come Back

“Based on a true story.”

We’ve all felt it.

Every time we watch a movie.
Every time we pick up a book.
Every time we hear someone else’s true story.

“It’s a true story.”

Those words instantly grab us.

They make us lean in and engage.

But why?

When a story is true, it taps into something psychologists call belief credibility and emotional resonance.

When a story is real, it has weight. It has credibility. It has emotional pull.

Once that happens, the person listening to that story experience another phenomenon:

Narrative transportation.

Narrative transportation is the process of becoming so mentally and emotionally absorbed in a story that it feels like you’re living it yourself.

But how does this tie back to building a business?

Any business that builds its brand story around a true narrative doesn’t just become memorable…it builds immense trust and customer loyalty.

Let me give you a couple of “based on a true story” examples.

I never thought of McDonald’s as more than a fast-food chain until I watched the movie The Founder.

Now, every time I see the golden arches, I don’t just see a burger joint.

Instead, I think of the McDonald’s brothers and how they created the first “Speedee Service System” that revolutionized fast food.

And I also think of Ray Kroc, the man who saw their system’s potential, took it from them for pennies, and built it into a global empire.

When I eat at McDonald’s now, it’s not about the food. It’s about experiencing a piece of history and a taste of the fast-food conglomerate.

Let me give you another example.

I used to be a die-hard Adidas fan. I played soccer, and I never compromised on my shoes. I always wore Adidas.

But then I read Phil Knight’s book, Shoe Dog. (If you haven’t read it, add it to your list) and for the first time, I saw Nike through his eyes. I saw his discipline, his passion for shoe design, and the thought process behind every shoe design decision.

I didn’t just see the brand anymore. I saw the vision behind it.

Now, when I buy sports shoes, I don’t compare Nike to Adidas.

I go straight for Nike. Adidas? Maybe… if it fits.

This is how you want your customers to think about your brand.

What story does your business tell?

What makes it stand out?

Not just as a product or service, but as a vision, a movement, an experience.

Because once your customers connect to your story, they won’t just buy from you… But they’ll keep coming back.

So here’s my question for you.

What’s your business’s personal story?

I’d love to hear it.

Reply to this email and let me know.