Want to reach more users? Try utilising the power of story in your copy and attract users and investors to your assistive tech creations
- gillianjones48
- Mar 10
- 3 min read
A more nuanced approach to your marketing efforts could make a big difference overall to how big an audience you attract. Assistive tech products help improve the lives of those they were designed for, but as we've discussed before, the language used to describe them needs to be human-centred and jargon-free. Yes, there may be complex language around the technology itself, but to be inclusive, you need to include both the potential user and investors and/or shareholders, and to speak to a wider audience in a language they understand.
If you're creating software or a device for someone with a disability, then your copy needs to not only be inclusive, but it also needs to keep the reader on the page long enough to take action. How a device or a piece of software works can be dry for the reader, so here's where storytelling comes in. It's not just about your why, but the stories you tell to evoke interest, passion and a strong desire to know more.
We can do this by using storytelling to:
Build trust and credibility by showing how it was made and who you tested it on, show how safe and reliable your devices are
Humanize the technology behind the device/technology - drop the clinical speak and talk to real people, highlighting the difference your device will make to people's lives - what inspired you to create it?
Talk about accessibility and inclusion - tell your audience how your device or software was created using feedback from the people who will use it. And that your creation included many different perspectives before the completion of the final product
Ethics - consider data protection and privacy. How will you address these in your communications with both users and shareholders? If you use AI, how ethical is it?
Address any misconceptions - storytelling is good for this.
Stories
Your mission isn't just about creating groundbreaking technology. You need the powers of storytelling to speak about your mission intelligently and warmly. Express your commitment to improving lives and show how and why you're doing this.
Your vision should create a picture of the inspiration that came in order to create your product and how it figures into the future of the people who'll use it. What vision for the future of your potential users do you see? How does it look when your creation goes out into the world?
Use stories that include both your users, testers, and the people who are part of your team. Find stories that talk about the differences it's made to their lives, and how that impacts you and your team, what process did you follow from inception to creation, how did you communicate and interact with your users?
Do you find it inspiring, does it make you want to work on something else, do you feel fulfilled, how did your team (if there is one) work on this thing you created? Consider first-person narratives and videos, as well as text-based.
Your brand message should be consistent and empowering. Remember to demonstrate empathy, but be aware of patronising, condescending language and sweeping generalisations about your audience, don't perpetuate existing stereotypes. And remember not everyone who you're targeting with your device or software, will have hearing or sight, and may also have cognitive impairments. Make sure this is reflected in your messaging.
Finally:
Consider involving those who are involved in the development stage of your product
Make sure your device is tailored to individual needs, and demonstrate clearly how they can customize it
Does your technology work with other (assistive) devices and platforms? It should
Always remember the data protection of each person you deal with - be clear and transparent on how you collect and use people's information
Offer support over the long-term, alongside training, be committed to the road ahead, and support your users.
You can build stories around all of these important points at the interview and development stage, and in the final few months of putting your product out there. Stories can help resonate with the people who use your product, and done sensitively and compassionately, you can make a positive impact.
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