Destination-specific storytelling addresses a problem many destination marketers overlook: You cannot use the same interview formula for every destination. In destination storytelling, the questionnaire is your map – not your prison.
As a destination storyteller, I never arrive with a story. I am open-minded and arrive with questions that can uncover one. My experience is that a destination’s own marketing people are valuable sources, but they are rarely the only ones to interview, and sometimes not the best, to interview.
It seems that everyone – from corporate marketers to non-profit campaigners – is talking about how important storytelling is today. But how can storytelling be used for destination marketing to get travelers excited about experiencing all that your destination offers?
If you have read some of my other articles on storytelling, you know I claim that most destinations use the same phrases, more or less.
Every destination has a story – but not the same story
My task as a destination storyteller is to discover what makes a destination interesting, memorable, and meaningful to the intended traveler. The destination determines the questions. The questions determine the story.
I always prepare a Destination Story Brief before an interview. It always includes: Who is the target traveler? From there, I might ask:
What does the destination currently claim to be?
What is already widely known?
What is not being talked about?
What experiences are distinctive?
What makes the destination special?
What misconceptions exist?
What surprising facts might be hiding beneath the surface?
What could make a traveler say, “Oh, I didn’t know that”?
Customer story or journalism?
A customer story commissioned by a destination, hotel, DMC, or tourism organization is not objective journalism in the traditional sense. The commissioning organization has an interest in the outcome. That doesn’t make the story illegitimate, but it means the storyteller should be transparent about the role and apply journalistic standards where appropriate. The storyteller should verify important facts and distinguish facts from opinion. The storyteller should seek multiple perspectives and avoid simply reproducing marketing claims. Look for evidence behind superlatives and let people speak in their own voices. I try to identify conflicts of interest and avoid turning the interview into a promotional questionnaire.
My aim is to uncover what is genuinely interesting about the destination and why anyone should care.
If possible, I use a three-layer source model, preferably including a destination insider, a local resident, someone who knows the destination professionally, and an outsider. The insider knows the facts. The participant knows the experience, and the outsider may see the story. I don’t necessarily need all three, but deliberately considering all three makes the storytelling much stronger.
How do I find the best persons to interview?
The most valuable person is someone who has witnessed something worth telling. That person might be a CEO or someone who has worked in the same village for 40 years. The key question is: who knows something the destination’s brochure doesn’t tell?
When I find the person, I use a two-stage process. Before the interview, I do substantial research on the destination, and then I conduct a destination-specific interview.
Destination Story Interview Sheet
If you plan to do this, I have prepared a “Destination Story Interview Sheet” for you.
Destination:
Target audience:
Story objective:
Interviewee:
Role:
What we already know:
What we don’t know:
What we suspect:
What we want to discover:
Story leads
People
Who are the potential protagonists?
Places
Where could the story happen?
Moments
What events or incidents might provide a narrative?
Contrasts
What is surprising, unexpected, or contradictory?
Details
What sights, sounds, smells, objects, or physical details could bring the story alive?
Evidence
Which claims need verification?
Follow-up interviews
Who else should we talk to?
Possible story
Character:
Desire:
Obstacle:
Turning point:
Resolution:
Meaning for the traveler
Destination-specific storytelling moves storytelling from an abstract creative idea to a method. The questionnaire becomes your map. It should never become your prison.
Destination Storytelling: The Questionnaire Is Your Map – Not Your Prison, written by Tor Kjolberg.
Take-away
If you learned something from this article, I believe you’ll also enjoy my recent book, “How I’ve Survived as a Storyteller for Over 50 Years: 12 Survival Techniques.” Get your FREE e-book copy by sending me your name and e-mail address, and including “Storytelling” in the subject line. Thank you for reading!
More articles on Storytelling by Tor Kjolberg you may like:
Seven Strategies for Increasing Customer Participation in Brand Stories
Stop Selling Postcards
The DMC 7 Steps Untold Story Finder
Brand Storytelling for Nonbelievers
Stop Selling Perfect Destinations