How to Give Your Brand a Powerful Story
What story does your brand tell? A better question; what story do you want your brand to tell?
When you think about it, storytelling plays a major role in our lives. As children, we were enthralled and captivated by stories; our most-loved stories were read to us over and over…and over…again (perhaps to the annoyance of our designated readers, our teachers and parents.) As adults, we still enjoy a good story. We tell stories from our lives to our colleagues, family, and friends. We watch television shows and movies, listen to podcasts, and read articles that are driven by compelling narratives. So many of the experiences we engage in on a daily basis are all rooted in powerful stories that create strong emotional reactions.
A great story immediately grabs a reader’s attention and makes a lasting impact. That’s why telling your story as part of your branding strategy will give your brand meaning, authenticity, and help it to generate the attention it deserves.
Brand storytelling is a fine art. An effective brand strategy showcases your brand story in a way that is genuine, believable, and authentic to who you are. Here’s how you can get a head start.
Know Your Audience
Brand stories are meant to evoke emotion from their target audience. That means who your customers are determine how you tell your brand story.
Your customers want to know who your company is, what it stands for, and whether it lines up with their values. If you’re marketing to Baby Boomers, for example, you will have a vastly different approach than if your target audience is Millennials.
Whoever your audience is, they need to feel as though your brand is talking directly to them.
Define Your Core Message
Your core message should drive your brand message. What are you driving home to your audience?
If you have a slogan or tagline, this should already encapsulate your core message (and if it doesn’t, you might need to think about a rebrand!). When telling your brand story, you may be able to use your existing slogan and/or tagline and then expand on it.
Keep in mind that your brand story and messaging should be understandable, valuable, and explain your benefits immediately to your customers.
Inspire emotion
How do you want your customers to feel when they think of your brand? Consider what emotions you want to inspire and use that to determine whether your approach should be anything from silly to somber.
Verbal and visual elements, like colors, are fundamental components to evoking emotion and telling your brand story. All of these elements need to work in harmony to create a strong emotional response to your brand.
Show Your Personality
A strong brand story needs to be personal and relatable. Know who you are at your core and use that to propel your narrative. If you’re struggling with determining or communicating who you are as a company, we can help with a free brand consultation.
Memorable characters, like real-life customers, combined with your brand’s tone and voice, concrete action, and a stellar resolution bring an otherwise flat story to life and will set you apart from your competition.
Simplicity is Key
If your story is muddled or complicated, you will likely lose your audience fast. Your message should be clear and concise, and your story should build momentum to keep your audience riveted.
An excellent way to stay on track is to simplify your story by splitting it up into three distinct segments:
- Beginning: Start with the problem that you intend to solve.
- Middle: Focus on the solution. Describe how you solved the problem.
- End: Finish with the successful outcome. This part should create the most excitement.
Your story is why your business exists. It’s not just critical to tell a brand story, it’s critical to tell a brand story that is absolutely authentic to who you are.
If you need help telling your brand story, or branding or rebranding altogether, we can help with a free brand consultation. Give us a shout, and we’ll give you our honest, expert advice on how to build the best brand for your business.
