Companies can build an appealing brand image and loyal fan base by telling the story of their success in a way that fires the imagination. A good brand story involves a heady mix of facts and feelings that makes you stand out. Unlike traditional advertising, you’re looking to provoke an emotional reaction, which you can use to keep your customers engaged with the help of reviews, testimonials, social media, and even gamification.
What Does Your Brand Represent?
Effective brand storytelling can help you leave an indelible mark on your industry, and making an effort to relate to the inner life of your customers is more important than ever. Consumers are seeking out brands that are more fully aligned with their ethical standards.
For example, there is a growing interest in certified fair trade, locally sourced or organic produce; circular, reusable sustainable packaging, and to some extent, a fatigue with the impersonal aspect of the modern online shopping experience.
These trends have brought an increased demand for brand transparency and a greater desire for the human element to be restored to brand interactions.
Show Your Charisma
Brand stories are not adverts or sales pitches. They should be related using a carefully cultivated brand persona, with your copywriter’s personality taking center stage. The art of visual storytelling can also play a role. Whatever style you adopt, remember that dull stories won’t entice readers or keep them coming back, and ‘perfect’ is not exciting.
Every well-crafted story features a properly worked-out beginning, middle, and end. This gives you an opportunity to describe the pitfalls and challenges your company overcame on its journey so far. A happy ‘ending’ is fine, but make sure you keep the story open-ended so that your followers are motivated to keep up-to-date with your activities in the future.
Use simple, SEO-rich content to attract more interest online, increasing your sales and improving conversion rates.
Data Has Its Place
Remember to balance that personal flavor by using relevant industry or product data, to prove your company’s credentials. It’s important to remind consumers that your brand isn’t all show and that you have compelling Unique Selling Points (USPs) that set you apart from your rivals. Yes, you want to be seen as distinctive, but make it clear that you can back up your image with real quality.
Next Steps
Maybe you’ve been considering attending a brand storytelling workshop that is soon to be hosted in your city. Or perhaps it would be easier to shortcut the DIY philosophy by outsourcing the task and hiring an experienced brand storytelling consultant?
The good news for bootstrappers is that you can build a decent foundation simply by picking up a brand storytelling guide from your local bookstore or library. You can also find some useful pointers online.
Ultimately, though, it makes more sense to engage the services of a full-service product development agency to manage the entire process for you.
With Shark Design, the same company that carries out your design, prototyping, and manufacturing can also provide you with the most refined brand storytelling techniques.
Do you need help with the finer details of your marketing plan?