A brand story is an integral part of your business. At the very basic level, it provides an answer to the question: why does this business exist? At the higher and more refined level, it speaks to prospective customers, is relatable to their own values, likes and interests.
What’s more, a brand story exists and is continually spun and modified even without the intervention of the company itself. Since the dawn of internet and social media, consumers, media outlets and competitors are sharing stories, anecdotes, facts and fiction about various companies. These bits and pieces are woven into a larger picture, which sticks around in people’s memory for years. And it is up to you as a business owner to make sure that this picture is pretty and appealing.
What Exactly Is a Brand Story Then?
A brand story is not an ad or an “About Us” page on your website. Its key role is to offer a background that consumers can relate to. A brand story should create emotion and win goodwill. The reason for this is that people are looking beyond the basic product and its price when they make a buying decision.
And the brand story tells them something about:
- What your business stands for
- The problem your products and services solves
- The unique identity of your offering
- What motivated you to go in business.
Why Is It Important to Work on Your Brand Story?
As we have already explained, stories are being told about your brand with or without your influence. If you don’t get an active role in building and sharing your brand story, your business will have an image built by others.
This image may be positive or negative. It may be true or untrue. It may bring you the right or wrong type of leads. In the end, if you are not the driving force behind your brand story, you may as well step down and stop working on your business. But that is not an option, is it?
Now, let’s focus on what you really want to learn from this article.
How Can You Create Your Brand Story?
Great brand stories have a few common characteristics. When we discuss about them, we will also provide insights about creating your own brand story. These being said, let’s see what makes brand stories memorable:
1. Simplicity
A brand story must be simple and easy to understand by anyone. For instance, the core brand story can consist of:
- The problem you identified
- The solution you found for the problem
- How you and your customers found success.
It is important to include your customers in the success part of your brand story. After all, without them you would not have found your own success.
2. Continuity
You never stop telling a brand story. When you reached the highest success you ever imagined, you must still spin the story and tell your customer that there is more to come. After all, if this is the best you can do, why should they stick around?
3. A Moral Motivation
People are holding successful companies responsible to give back to their communities and help them thrive. The term Corporate Social Responsibility is the business-speak explanation of this expectation.
In brand story terms, tell consumers about the good deeds you are doing. Also, make them see that by buying from you they are also part of your helpful actions. For example, TOMS footwear shares its “One for One” mission statement prominently and explains what it means: for each pair of shoes purchased, they donate a pair to people in need.
4. Credible
There is a phrase about lack of credibility – I don’t buy this story. What you must really strive is to make your potential customers buy your brand story. Because, in the end, this is what they practically do. They buy your product, thus, they also buy your story.
To do that, your brand story needs to be real, authentic and relatable. If people can relate to your story, they will believe it, they will buy it.
5. Endorsed
Successful brand stories are being told not only by the brand itself, but also by its key stakeholders. This is why you must always look for ways to encourage your customers and employees to become brand ambassadors.
The social media is the best medium for endorsing and spreading a brand story. Thus, be always on the lookout for your top followers and find ways in which you can make them a part of your story.