In furniture buying today, shoppers are more informed, selective, and skeptical than ever before. They’re not simply buying a sofa or a mattress—they are investing in brands that earn their trust, understand their lives, and share their values. The question facing every furniture retailer is clear: how can they differentiate themselves and cultivate real, lasting relationships with their customers?
The answer, as industry leaders like Mary Liz Curtin, Julia Rosine, Nicholas Bracewell, and Alex Back have argued, lies in authentic storytelling rooted in purpose, people, and honest customer experience.
We explore how these experts define and deploy storytelling as a strategic business advantage and distill actionable steps for retailers seeking to connect, resonate, and inspire advocacy in their communities.
Why Storytelling Matters in Furniture Retail
The stakes are high for today’s retailers because the purchase of a sofa, bed, or dining set is not merely transactional—it’s deeply emotional and identity-driven. Mary Liz Curtin, with over 35 years in retail and owner of Leon and Lulu, offers a foundational observation: “People are afraid to buy furniture. They’re not immediately engaged; they’re scared of it. They’ll buy a $50,000 car before they buy a sofa.”
This skepticism and anxiety are compounded by a tidal wave of choice; as Alex Back, CEO of Couch and a digital marketing expert, notes, “Consumers have access to so many more options right now; it’s unfathomable. With greater options comes greater competition, and creating a differentiating principle of your brand is more important than ever.”
Julia Rosine, Vice President of Marketing at Leggett and Platt, echoes the emotional complexity of furniture purchases, particularly when fear is the primary motivator. “People buy a mattress based on fear. A fear-based purchase is a roadblock, and it’s difficult to reach a consumer when you’re not storytelling, because we can’t get past the fear.”
Building trust, then, is not just about a logo, clever copy, or even a quality product. As every member of this expert panel agreed, trust must be earned by making retailers’ values, people, and community engagement visible and accessible through compelling stories.
Trust: Beyond the Brand to the Customer’s Heart
There is a prevailing misconception that simply having a strong brand presence equates to winning consumer trust. Back explains that while “the presence of a brand is a trust signal,” this is only the starting point, not the finish line. Each subtle misstep, whether it’s a confusing website or a poorly maintained showroom, chips away at that initial reservoir of trust. “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room,” Curtin adds. “It’s not your logo. It’s the impression that you leave.”
Rosine agrees, emphasizing that “the brand doesn’t live here with us—it lives in a consumer’s heart.” The real measure of a brand’s success is its ability to invite customers into a story they wish to be a part of.
Community and belonging are increasingly vital in the furniture industry. As Nicholas Bracewell, Head of Brand & Content Strategy for Tango Multimedia, observes, the American consumer “wants to belong to something,” especially as digital shopping experiences create a sense of disconnection. “If you can remove uncertainty and give that sense of community and experience. It’s not about the couch or the bed. Have a family moment on this bed; get your family together on Sundays to watch a game on this sofa.”
Humanizing the Brand: Who Should Tell the Story?
If storytelling builds trust, whose stories matter most? Employees, founders, craftspeople, or customers?
The consensus is clear: the answer is “all of the above,” but execution requires thoughtful curation. Bracewell points out that every business must decide on its primary storyteller, but just because that person tells a story doesn’t mean the story of all involved shouldn’t be told. It all must integrate—from A to Z, the simplest job to the hardest job.”
Julia Rosine cautions against turning storytelling into a monologue about company history: “When somebody walks into a furniture store, we don’t immediately say, ‘We were founded in 1867!’ We ask, ‘How are you? How can we solve your problems?” Great stories center on consumer needs and aspirations, never forgetting that the customer is the protagonist.
Doing this well means involving charismatic, engaging presenters. As Curtin warns, “one of the things to be wary of is giving a lot of focus to somebody who’s a very poor presenter and just makes you sound boring.” Creating authentic, unscripted interactions, whether between employees, with customers, or between owners and the people who make the products, brings the brand to life. The most memorable storytellers, like the infamous “Crazy Eddie,” create a “charismatic connection” that lingers long after the transaction.
What Types of Stories Resonate—And Which Miss the Mark?
Amidst an industry often crowded with generic sales messages, what stories actually break through? Bracewell offers a simple rule: “You should be different. If you talk about something different and position yourself outside of the usual messaging, it works better.”
He urges retailers to look for “angles of what makes you different from everybody,” from salespeople who don’t work on commission, to uniquely styled campaigns that reflect local identity and priorities.
Education is also a recurring theme. Curtin notes that people “know they don’t have the skills”—help them through education, not discounts. Charitable activity and meaningful local engagement are other high-impact modes of storytelling; when stores act as good citizens, customers remember and reward them with loyalty.
Testing is essential. Rosine explains that “you could put in 25 messages and five might hit the mark, but you learn from that and then start building more messages on those positive experiences.” As with all marketing, there is no universal formula. Resonance depends on the retailer’s unique audience and community.
Emotional Connection vs. Practical Reassurance
Is the primary goal to forge an emotional bond, or to reassure customers with facts about quality and service?
The answer is both, though emotion leads the way. Bracewell recalls a mattress campaign that showcased life’s milestones unfolding on a bed, from starting as a couple to family moments to times of solace or celebration. These vignettes frame the product as a central character in the buyer’s life.
As Back explains, the key is “giving the customer a clear image of what their life would be like through the eyes of other customers they identify with or aspire to be.” This could be a celebrity or simply a family “just like them.” Authentic, relatable images of families, young couples, or individuals enjoying the product outstrip technical specifications in shaping preference.
Yet the practical must not be neglected. Bracewell advises, “The practical part is not that it’s not in the storytelling—it’s just less important than showing how this is going to be there for you.” Emotional resonance forges the connection; practical value reinforces the decision.
Bringing Storytelling to Life Across Channels
How can retailers weave storytelling through their website, social media, emails, and physical store environments in a way that is consistent, honest, and genuine?
The tools are surprisingly accessible. Rosine encourages retailers to “walk through your store with your iPhone.” Today’s customer “does not want a scripted, styled social media post. They want you walking through your store, pictures of the actual product, not a stylized product.” The “Savannah White” era is over; the time for honesty and intimacy is now.
AI tools can help by transcribing and summarizing real, unpolished stories. Back suggests retailers “take out your phone, use a couple of microphones, and tell a story. Block off an hour time and walk through the showroom, talk about something in the store, talk with customers, interview employees.” Even a single long-form video can generate a suite of short clips and written content to fuel digital presence for weeks.
For those intimidated by the technical aspects, Bracewell reassures, “Just take 10 minutes to go through social media and look at how stories are being told. Discover whatever you find comfortable. Some people must be put in a conversation, not speaking to the camera.” Test various formats like podcasts, Q&As, candid moments, and see which delivers the strongest engagement.
Importantly, this approach isn’t about perfection; it’s about transparency, regularity, and a willingness to experiment and learn.
Creating Advocacy: From Transactions to Relationships
When storytelling is well-executed, it does more than convert a sale; it transforms shoppers into advocates. True advocacy is not only customers returning repeatedly, but also telling others about their positive experiences.
“Advocacy is akin to creating consensus,” says Back. “A major trust signal is gained by having multiple people, advocates for your brand, talk about the best parts of your brand.” Curtin adds that advocacy does “not necessarily have to be product-focused. Quite often, customers want to hear about your standing in the community, the things you do in addition to selling a fine sofa.”
The strategic use of user-generated content is well-demonstrated by brands outside the traditional furniture industry. Rosine points to Lululemon: “They do it by taking a hashtag or an event, and letting their consumers generate content, and then taking that content and positioning it high on their social media channels. They’re uplifting their community and showing these are real people using our products.”
Furniture retailers can learn from this model by inviting their own customers to share stories, pictures, or experiences and by celebrating them prominently—thus elevating trust from the brand-to-customer, to a peer-to-peer ecosystem.
Measurement: Knowing If Storytelling is Working
The final step is perhaps the most pragmatic. How do retailers assess whether storytelling is strengthening relationships (not just driving traffic or likes)?
Metrics help. Track “eyeballs, likes, comments,” suggests Curtin, but data alone cannot capture the full effect. In-person feedback, such as customers referencing a story, campaign, or community initiative, is equally important.
Paid digital advertising is another useful arena for A/B testing. Back recommends retailers “shoot a couple videos, post them organically, then pay for those impressions. With a small budget, you can get a lot of eyeballs on different pieces of copy or creative, to get some good metrics back on what people are resonating with.”
Complement these with analog tools: sales staff can ask, “How did you hear about us?” and follow up post-purchase with non-transactional touchpoints—reminders, tips, anniversary notes. This blend of qualitative and quantitative feedback delivers a more holistic sense of customer connection.
Don’t let underperforming content discourage you. As Bracewell affirms, “Put as much [content] as possible, aligned to what you stand for. One of those posts is going to spark some conversation. If a post gets only 200 views, move on. Just go to the next one.”
What should you Do Now? A Practical Action Plan
For retailers wondering how to begin, Bracewell prescribes a simple, impactful first step: “Get very good at telling your story in under one minute, and making sure it’s not only you, the owner, who knows it. Everybody who is client-facing should know the story in under one minute.”
Back recommends leveraging AI tools: “Turn on ChatGPT, do the voice thing, and just talk about your brand for a long time. Having a robot synthesize the strongest points will guide you in the process.” These seeds are all digital and face-to-face storytelling with clarity and consistency.
Curtin and Rosine remind us of the ultimate objective: “Make them friends first, customers second, and stay curious. If you’re not curious, find someone on your team who is, and empower them to help you.”
Conclusion
Authentic storytelling is more than a marketing tool—it is the heart of building relationships in a skeptical, oversupplied marketplace. Furniture retailers who commit to honest, human-centered stories, celebrate their unique values and people, and continually experiment with new methods will not only thrive in the short term but also secure a lasting place in their customers’ lives and communities.
As these proven industry leaders demonstrate, the next great story in furniture retail could begin with a single, honest conversation—one that starts not with a pitch, but with a genuine desire to listen, serve, and belong together.
