Ever wonder why people tear up at the end of a Hallmark commercial? Why you smile when you hear a baby laugh? Why people are so devoted to their iPhones?

There’s a neurological connection between all three, but two of these are connected to a strategy at the forefront of content marketing: storytelling.

First, the behind-the-scenes psychology. (I was a psych major, after all!) Whenever we’re listening to a story told with emotion, we feel that same emotion because of what neurologists call "mirror neurons"—brain cells that fire whenever we find ourselves doing or experiencing the same thing as someone else, and vice versa. So when you—or someone more emotional than you—cries at a Hallmark commercial or smiles at the sound of a baby’s laugh, their mirror neutrons are firing away. They are "mirroring" that emotion.

Content marketers have leveraged this research and crafted an effective strategy out of it. Going above and beyond the more utilitarian elements of traditional content marketing—blogs, tweets, webinars, Facebook posts, etc. (which, don’t get me wrong, are essential to any good content marketing strategy)—storytelling is about connecting with your audience on an emotional level. It’s about creating a certain feeling around your brand, products, and services that will establish an emotional bond between your customers and your business, ultimately leading to the coveted holy ground of marketing strategy: brand loyalty.

Two examples of this in action:

1. Coca-Cola has also jumped on the bandwagon with their Content 2020 project, which is a content marketing strategy focused producing content that engages their audience by spreading happiness.
2. Cisco’s documentary series, The Network Effect, connects technology with the emotional connection within networks of people. Although this is subtly related to the Cisco product, it has nothing to do with selling computers and routers. Instead, it focuses on stirring emotion within the audience.

I personally love to insert my own personal stories about interacting with customers, being with my family, whatever connects the reader to the content in way to make them feel. The power is in those personal details, which makes facts, figures, information come alive. Now, this takes a certain level of vulnerability and openness, which I think is crucial to truly connecting with your core customers.

I’m looking forward to learning more about storytelling from one of today’s leading content marketing experts—Robert Rose. At this year’s Make Market Launch IT LIVE! event on May 2-4, Robert will teach us how people filter with their brains, but ultimately buy based on emotion. You can discover more about his presentation here.