So much of the marketing discussion these days is about technology, says entertainment executive Corey Torrence. Should we be on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook or MySpace? Can we take advantage of text messaging? What can we do with the iPhone?

“Technology is quickly changing the way the game is played,” he acknowledges in a recent post on iMedia Connection. But the fundamentals of the game are no different than when Homer scratched out the Odyssey on papyrus scrolls.

Successful marketing is all about good storytelling.

“Concentrate on storyline-rich content that resonates with your audience,” says Torrence, who is CEO of Animax Entertainment. “The simplest way to gather an audience — dating back to ancient times — is good storytelling.”

So think of technology tools as merely the delivery systems. “The best content can flow from one medium to another seamlessly, captivating the audience through the emotional attraction of the story and not the technology.”

Higher education is more fortunate than most industries because it has a nearly unlimited supply of compelling stories. A college can draw from its history and traditions, its gallery of graduates, its current students, athletes, faculty and staff to weave stories that make others relate to the school and see themselves as part of the community.

Such is the power of a good, entertaining story, says Torrence. “If marketers want to survive in this evolutionary climate, they are going to have to embrace quality content creation and good storytelling techniques.”

To read more, visit:
www.imediaconnection.com/content/24020.asp

Read more about our authors.  Ray Ulmer, public relations director at TargetX, has been involved in higher education marketing for more than 25 years, including serving as executive director of communications at La Salle University and director of public relations at Drexel University. He has also worked in corporate marketing and advertising.