From a very questionable first movie, Firelight (1964), Spielberg has definitely emerged as an immaculate storyteller. But if you thought his movies are either about science fiction (read murderous dinosaurs and adorable aliens) or about real-life legends (read Schindler’s List and Lincoln), we’ve got a rethink coming up for you. I’ve been looking forward to writing this article because it brings together the two great loves of my life – stories that transport you to a whole new world and technology that makes sci-fi a reality. Bringing these two together, here’s what I’ve learned about telling the fintech story from Spielberg.
Don’t Give in to the Jaws of Failure
Did you know that Spielberg was rejected thrice by the University of Southern California Film School? The same school awarded him an honorary degree in 1996! Fintech often witnesses the same treatment. Any disruptive technology has to overcome resistance to change before it gains mainstream adoption. It takes the grit and perseverance of Sheriff Martin Brody (Jaws; 1975) to tell your story in a way that builds confidence in your audience. Now, the public might need more proof of your concept before they accept what you have to offer, just like the Mayor of Amity. So, make sure your story connects with your target customer by echoing their pain points.
Make Them Want a Close Encounter
Do you know how Spielberg keeps you hooked? He doesn’t give away the plot right in the beginning. He throws little nuggets at you to keep you guessing. For instance, start by dropping hints about what’s coming up to build suspense and pique curiosity. Follow it up with a strong narrative that almost makes the people feel they’ve experienced your tech solution. Now, tie it all up neatly by delivering on your promise and proving that your solution actually works to overcome their problems. This is just like the way we followed Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; 1977), with the suspense building up about whether he was crazy or there was an element of truth to his obsession. Finally, Roy proved himself when the UFO finally appeared at the location he predicted.
Hook Them with a Sense of Wonder
To connect with your customers, you first need to understand what matters to them. Don’t guess or make assumptions about your target audience. You don’t want to end up like Captain Hook (Hook; 1991), who didn’t do his research well enough to know that Peter Pan could rekindle his lost youthful spark. Spielberg is a master at creating worlds that are so close to our own that it doesn’t take much for us to suspend disbelief and get transported right into his story. We’ve seen this repeatedly, with the Indiana Jones franchise, Jurassic Park and its sequels and, of course, the iconic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. That’s exactly what innovative fintech needs to do to overcome the proverbial resistance to change.
Don’t Just Phone Home
In other words, don’t limit your outreach to just a few channels. Paid advertising might be effective with one demographic, while influencers might work better with another. Educational content will build trust, while a strong social media presence will kickstart conversations. Be like Spielberg. Yes, take on the stories about killer sharks and dinosaurs, make movies on aliens of all types, including those you can fly across the moon, but also wrench at heartstrings like Schindler’s List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Or you could just tell an incredibly human story of building connections just like Victor Navorski (Tom Hanks) did in The Terminal (2004).
Wrapping Up
Spielberg has an amazing ability to create stories that become an integral part of our pop culture and collective consciousness. This is what we need to achieve with fintech marketing. The tricky part for fintech is telling stories while ensuring compliance across jurisdictions. You are a fintech innovator. That doesn’t mean you should also be an expert content marketer. After all, even Spielberg doesn’t write the stories, take on the job of the cinematographer or editor, star in the lead role and compose the soundtrack all by himself.
So, talk to a content marketing agency that speaks your language and understands your target audience. At Veda Informatics, we have two decades of experience writing for the financial industry. Talk to us TODAY to learn how we can help you attract and retain customers with the right storytelling.
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