A recent study by the research firm Origin found that consumers are 5% more likely to pick a wine if it features written notes by the winemaker, and they are willing to pay 6% more for it. That is powerful storytelling with immediate return on investment.

Businesses tend to focus on features and specs of a product rather than the story of it. Or even the story of the brand itself.

Hey, an email service has built it's whole brand around story telling. Look at their homepage, it's simple text telling a story of a small company taking on giants. Email is something we take for granted now. It's a given to have it.

Or take a local company, Grind Coffee Co. Again, telling a story of how the world is so busy and how coffee should be about relationships. Not once do they mention fluff information about their coffee. Meanwhile, you can find coffee at every corner.

TwentyFive-Eight Coffee, another example of telling the stories of educators.

What is the story behind your brand or product? Why did you make it?

Answering these questions can take you from a commodity product to a brand that people stand behind.