3 Ways to Strengthen Your Storytelling with Data

Why did something work? Why is this a great opportunity? Why is it the best option available?

Are you well equipped to answer these questions with unbiased facts? Using the SponsorPulse™ platform, you can be. Here are our tips for using data and intelligence to validate (and strengthen) your boardroom narratives:

1. Talk About People, Not Percentages

49% of the United States engages with the MLB every year. Great.

That means that 107 million people across the USA engage with the MLB annually. Wow!

A simple storytelling swap from percentage to population changes the scope of the conversation and delivers important context. It gives decision makers a tangible number: "this is how many people you have the opportunity to connect with by sponsoring our property", for example.

SponsorPulse™ uses a precise population formula that provides the greater context; we encourage our users to leverage this feature to deliver a more resonating narrative.

2. Context Is King

When crafting compelling narratives, having good data simply isn’t enough. That’s because content loses its meaning without context. It becomes a rudderless ship, just floating aimlessly in the ocean. Comparing, contrasting, and highlighting relative differences between opportunities is where good storytellers set themselves apart.

For example, imagine that you are considering two different media-based properties in the USA as potential sponsorship opportunities: the Grammy Awards and MasterChef. SponsorPulse™ will serve up data that tells you:

• 107 million people engage with the Grammys.

• Of those, approximately 13 million are passionate about the Grammys.

• 48 million are excited when the award show comes around.

But what does that mean? Does this make it a good opportunity or not?

To understand the strength of the opportunity (and tell a compelling story) you’ll need a more complete picture. Add context by comparing that data to MasterChef’s metrics:

• MasterChef engages over 87 million people (20 million fewer than the Grammys) in the USA.

• But the intensity with which audiences engage is significantly different. Roughly 40 million+ Americans engage with MasterChef on a weekly basis, compared to the 28 million for the Grammy Awards.

The story begins to emerge more clearly: MasterChef is a mature, year-round media property that offers weekly (valuable!) connection points with individuals internationally. The Grammy Awards, on the other hand, have a significant opportunity to expand their presence throughout the year, given its size, passion, and excitement. But just how will the Grammys drive intensity to create more value for partners?

When you start to layer in context to the most compelling metrics, you can begin to clearly articulate the direction in which your brand/property should pursue and in which opportunities you should be investing.

3. Gain Trust With Unbiased Data

When you’re trying to gain approval for a partnership or sell an opportunity, one of the biggest hurdles you face is the validity of data. Brands and properties sometimes arrive to the table with their own data; broadcasters and other stakeholders come with yet more sets of numbers. Disparate data sources can lead to questions about credibility.

Leaning on a sponsorship intelligence tool that provides open-sourced, unbiased, consistent, and transparent information allows brands and properties to come together and enter a conversation with mutual understanding. Both parties are using the same metrics and can see where and how big the opportunity is: now you can start talking about what you're going to do about it.

This means being able to look across the boardroom table and say, for example, “We’re investing in the Country Music Awards. We know how many people engage and how frequently. We know momentum is growing. Passion and excitement are areas where we see opportunities to drive more value. What are you doing as a property to boost those metrics, and how can we, as a partner, help you?"

What’s your story?

Is it compelling to the people across the table from you? When you nail the narrative with fact-based intelligence, you can tell a story that sings. Use SponsorPulse™ to access and analyze unbiased data when and where you need it. Compare hundreds of properties and behaviors to help you make the best sponsorship decisions and strengthen your boardroom pitches, reports, and presentations.