Messages bombard people every day with pings, boops and buzzes. Noise from ads and videos and pitches pile up demanding attention. How can anyone be heard over all the distractions and demands? Slow things down with a story.
Your story.
Humans have been telling each other stories for nearly as long as there have been humans. It’s built into us. Storytelling builds the shared understanding and trust that is necessary for family, community, and civilization.
“We are storytelling organisms that use narrative structures to organize our thoughts; because we use stories to recall facts, our knowledge is based on stories themselves,” National Geographic says.
Even as technology improves artificial intelligence tools, it’s clear that authentic and inspired storytelling remains something unique to humanity.
Why your brand needs a story
Crafting your brand’s story is a way to focus on building a relationship with your customers. It is your opportunity to show that you understand their struggles and desires.
People may not remember all the facts and figures of why your product is the best, but they will remember emotional connections.
They will remember feeling seen and heard. If they feel that their struggles are understood, they will be more likely to believe that your product is a solution to the problems they face.
“Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.”
Dr. Jennifer Aaker, a behavioral scientist at Stanford.
When you and your customer have shared values, as highlighted through your brand story, you build a foundation of empathy and trust. On that foundation, you can build a relationship that may result in sales.
Find your ‘why’
To share your brand story, first, you need to know and understand what it is.
A compelling story won’t necessarily be about your product or the history of the company. Your story is going to show why you exist.
What inspired you? Why are you doing this? Why is it important to you? How will you change the world (even just a little bit)?
If you already have a mission, vision, or values statement, you’ve probably already given it some thought. Finding your “why” isn’t just important to relay to your potential customers; your company needs to know internally. If you’re still rolling things out, seek input from a range of sources: leadership, employees, clients, and the wider community.
Your “why” is the driving force that powers your values and makes people want to connect to your company.
It’s got to be genuine, with purposeful action behind the ideal. Otherwise, you risk customers thinking you’re a fraud.
Showcase your voice
Now here’s the hard part.
Your brand story isn’t just telling people what your mission and values are.
It’s showing them.
You’ll hear the motto, “Show – don’t tell,” a lot in the storytelling business. But what does that mean?
A story is something that has a plot, characters, conflict, and resolution. Provide context and clarity. The details matter here.
Describe what events and ideas inspired the creation of your company, what problem you set out to solve, and how you did it.
Give an example of a case study. Show how a customer came to you with something they were struggling with and how your services helped them find success.
Think about your potential customers and their pain points. Describe a scenario where they can picture your services easing their burdens.
While you’re crafting this story, consider the tone you’re going to use. It can be casual or formal. Serious or sassy or humorous.
You’ll want a voice that fits with what kind of people your company is made of, but also that will resonate and feel appropriate with your clients.
Give it a go. Ponder your purpose. Write a first draft. Get some feedback and rewrite. Revise some more.
If you’re still feeling stuck, you can give us at Yankee Custom Marketing a call. We’ve been telling stories for decades. We offer strategy sessions and consultations to get you writing in the right direction, or we can take the content creation work off your plate entirely.
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