How to Write Your Brand’s Story
How to Write Your Brand’s Story
Want to know where you can set yourself apart from your competition?
It isn’t just about amenities, location, pricing, or the other elements that come to mind at first.
It’s actually your brand’s story.
Why do I believe this? Because only about 25% of brands actually connect with their audience with a story that has a meaningful impact.
While the story behind your brand could potentially be one of the most important narratives you’ll ever consider — but be warned that you’re not the only one holding the pen.
Telling your brand’s story falls to both you and your customers as you work to carve out an identity for your business.
In this post, we’ll talk about how you start creating your brand’s story, then telling it in a meaningful way.
Step #1: Know Your Audience
Knowing who you are targeting is a key part of any form of marketing.
Having your message come off as formal and well structured would be applauded by older readers but not their younger peers. Personalize the message based on your target audience — not by your preference.
Long story short: Creating your story is something that should be done with your customers in mind.
And that requires data — along with a willingness to listen to what your customers need.
Using data acquisition (or even customer surveys) as a tool, you can ascertain the exact way that your customers are currently feeling about your brand and use that as a guide.
Every customer will have a different view of your brand, so you’ll have to connect the dots and find the common voice between them (or consider multiple campaigns catered to different audiences!).
Step #2: Start With The Basics
Once you know what to say, it’s time to put it on paper.
It’s also important to find a voice that drives your story.
When tackling this, think about why the business was started in the first place.
Think of the people you wished to help and why you felt so deeply about helping them.
One of the reasons for branding is creating a sense of trust or quality assurance when you see that name. Seeing as your marketing should be considered mission critical, this should also follow suit. Your presence in people’s lives and your marketing material should also closely mimic each other as not to cause a disconnect and a rise and fall of expectations.
These are just some of the ways that you can begin crafting a brand story that personifies the business you set out to create — but it’s only a start. You still need to find a way to gain traction, which is where the next step comes into play.
Step #3: Consider the Clerk As Well As The CEO
Your Brand’s story cannot be one sided or only told from one perspective.
The CEO of any business should be somebody that is passionate about it — but the people on the ground should be passionate as well.
The story you tell should show how it’s not just a quick paycheck for the workers, but they’re here because they also believe in the company’s goals.
This is important, because your customers will be interacting way more with staff than the business’s administrative body, and they’re much more willing to listen to their story than the CEO’s.
So remember: your brand’s story is not necessarily about the brand itself, but the people behind it.
To this end, your goal should be to create a story that is human first, then persuasive and concise. Don’t focus on the formality of the message — focus on the emotional impact it can deliver.
Your brand will naturally start forming an atmosphere around it as people begin to associate you with the work you’ve been doing. Use the emotions your customers associate with your brand to create a more impactful message.
So make sure your story is approachable. If it’s a story your team members can live and agree with, you’re moving in the right direction.
Step #4: Live Your Story
Your brand’s story is more than words on a webpage or any single act.
It is the air around your business that causes customers to remember you. It’s the ad campaign that got them in the door, and the great customer service that keeps them coming back.
The story of your brand is a powerful force that can be carried by word of mouth or proper marketing to help your business sustain and grow into what you’ve always hoped it would become.
And with patience (plus a little help), your brand’s story can become one we all remember.