Why Psychology Matters in Your Brand Storytelling

We need to talk about data storytelling. Not the boring, put-you-to-sleep-faster-than-a-report kind. I’m talking about the kind that actually makes people care about your numbers and, more importantly, take action because of them.

Here’s the truth: most of us are doing it wrong.

We’re so focused on the data itself that we forget about the humans on the receiving end. And let me tell you, after spending way too many hours of my life sitting through presentations where someone proudly displayed their beautiful charts while the room mentally checked out, I’ve learned that there’s a better way.

What Data Storytelling Actually Is (And Why It Matters)

Data storytelling isn’t just slapping some numbers into a pretty chart and calling it a day. It’s about transforming complex information into a narrative that connects with people on both a logical AND emotional level.

When done right, good data storytelling:

• Makes complicated information digestible (without dumbing it down)
• Engages people emotionally (so they actually care)
• Compels them to take action (the whole point, really)

Think about it: When was the last time a spreadsheet made you feel something? Exactly. But stories about real people making real decisions based on that data? That’s where the magic happens.

Last month, I was working with a client who had spent thousands on market research but couldn’t understand why her team wasn’t implementing the findings. The problem wasn’t the data – it was that she’d presented it as cold, clinical facts rather than weaving it into a story that showed how it affected real customers and team members. Once we reframed it, suddenly everyone was on board.

The Problem With Traditional Data Storytelling

Most traditional approaches to data storytelling follow a predictable formula:

1. Gather some data
2. Make it look pretty
3. Present it to your audience
4. Hope they care enough to do something about it

But this approach misses two crucial elements:

1. Actually understanding your audience (beyond just “they’re marketing managers” or “they’re investors”)
2. Applying psychology to how you frame and present your message

When we skip these steps, we create several problems:

• Cognitive overload: Too much data without context is like trying to drink from a fire hose
• Emotional disconnect: Data without human context rarely drives action
• One-size-fits-all delivery: Different audiences need different approaches
• Over-reliance on visuals: Pretty charts alone don’t create meaning or motivate change

I once sat through a presentation where a founder proudly displayed 47 slides of customer data to potential investors. The data was actually impressive, but by slide 12, I watched three people checking their phones under the table. Why? Because there was no story tying it all together—no “so what” factor. Just numbers floating in space.

A Better Approach: The Audience-First Method

Here’s a five-step process that puts human psychology at the centre of your data storytelling:

Step 1: Define Clear Objectives

Before you touch a single spreadsheet, ask yourself:

• What exactly do I want my audience to think, feel, or do after seeing this information?
• How will I know if my story has been successful?

Be specific. “Raise awareness” isn’t a clear objective. “Convince my team to allocate budget to redesign our checkout process” is.

Step 2: Research Your Audience (The Step Everyone Skips)

This is where you dig deeper than job titles and demographics. You need to understand:

• What motivates your audience?
• What are their current beliefs about your topic?
• What objections might they have?
• How do they prefer to receive information?

When Ian and I were decorating our house on the Wirral last year, our contractor showed us a breakdown of costs using a simple visual that compared different material options. He didn’t just present numbers—he’d clearly thought about what would matter to us (balancing quality and budget) and presented the data in a way that made our decision easier.

Step 3: Analyse Your Data Through a Human Lens

As you look at your data, ask:

• What patterns here would matter most to my specific audience?
• Which data points connect to their goals and motivations?
• What’s the human story behind these numbers?

If you’re presenting data about website traffic, don’t just show bounce rates—translate what those numbers mean for real users trying to accomplish goals on your site.

Step 4: Apply Psychology to Your Approach

This is where the magic happens. One useful framework is the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which suggests people’s actions are influenced by three things:

• Attitudes: Their personal feelings about a behaviour
• Social Norms: What they think others expect or do
• Perceived Control: Whether they believe they can successfully do something

When crafting your data story, deliberately address these three elements:

If you know your audience has positive attitudes about your subject, emphasise the benefits of your proposed action. If their attitudes are negative or neutral, you’ll need to work harder to shift their perspective with compelling data.

If your research shows they’re influenced by what others think, include examples of peers who’ve taken similar actions. My client Rosie doubled her workshop signups when she started including data about how many business owners like her audience had already benefited from her training.

If your audience doesn’t feel they have control over implementing changes, acknowledge barriers and show practical solutions the data supports.

Step 5: Craft a Balanced Narrative

Now it’s time to actually build your story. A good data narrative:

• Starts with a hook that connects emotionally
• Introduces the problem or opportunity
• Presents data as evidence within the narrative (not as the star)
• Acknowledges different perspectives
• Ends with a clear call to action

I recently helped a client present findings from her customer research. Instead of starting with charts, we opened with a story about one customer’s frustrating experience that perfectly illustrated the problem the data was revealing. By the time we showed the numbers, the audience was already nodding along—the data just confirmed what the story had made them feel.

Does This Actually Work Better?

Early research suggests it does. When testing different approaches to presenting the same data, stories customised to audience psychology consistently outperform generic data presentations in driving engagement and action.

I’ve personally seen this work with clients across different industries. One founder I worked with was struggling to get her team to take her customer feedback data seriously. After we reframed the presentation to highlight how addressing these issues aligned with the team’s existing values and goals (attitude), showed how competitors were already making similar changes (social norms), and outlined a clear step-by-step implementation plan (perceived control), the same data that had been ignored for months suddenly drove real action.

Bringing This Into Your Brand Storytelling

Here’s how to start applying this to your own brand’s data:

1. Choose quality over quantity – Focus on the few data points that tell the most compelling story
2. Lead with the human angle – Start with a story, then back it up with data
3. Know your audience deeply – Beyond demographics to true psychological motivations
4. Frame data in terms of benefits – Not just what the numbers show, but why they matter
5. Test different approaches – See which framing resonates best with your specific audience

Remember, effective data storytelling isn’t about making data pretty—it’s about making it meaningful to the humans you’re trying to reach.

The next time you’re preparing to share important data with your team, clients, or audience, take a step back from the spreadsheets and ask yourself: “What’s the human story here, and how can I tell it in a way that connects with these specific people?”

I’d love to hear how these approaches work for you! Let me know if you’ve tried bringing more psychology into your data storytelling and what results you’ve seen.

Here’s to data that actually drives action!