Source: Tim Lee Illustration (The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C)
A brand story of a company is its soul. It is the root of its existence, the very reason why company was found.
In a society of increasing affluence, customers are starting to look beyond the function of products and services, and the price tags attached. They are seeking more than a monetary transaction with the vendor, but rather, a human connection that informs them of their identity and sense of self. For example, buying a product that donates a part of its profits to the less fortunate establishes the consumers as charitable individuals with a role in bearing a positive impact on the community. A brand story hence defines the interaction between your business and your customers, moulding a unique brand experience that forms a vital part of your brand’s appeal.
Is your purpose, mission, vision and reason for existence a cause that are drawing customers to invest themselves in? If not, it’s time to unveil your compelling brand story.
Everyone loves a good story. Since the beginning of time, before the truth was explained through scientific facts, the greatest mysteries in life have been explained through the medium of stories. The human mind is imaginative, and bears a natural proclivity to make sense of the world around them through tales of magic and wonder. A story also engages your audience on both the logical and emotional level, building trust and rapport. A New York Times article has shown that the human brain responds to the descriptive power of stories in profoundly affecting ways, influencing both the sensory and motor cortex. Your story hence enables your audience to feel and experience, even to adopt the perception of the subject of the narrative. This is integral in the processes of convincing and converting potential customers into loyal buyers.
At the same time, a brand story portrays a personality, demonstrating the human side of your business. This debunks the misconception that your company is a faceless enterprise interested solely in profits.
Done right, your brand story will stick, and will be shared by persuaded parties to those around them. This fosters active word of mouth advertising, amplifying your brand awareness. A unique brand story also engenders brand differentiation in a saturated market.
What Your Story Needs:
1. A Goal That People Will Rally About And Support
This is linked to the value your products, services or company are able to bring to the community and society at large. Instead of drawing the focus to your personal ambition, turn the spotlight towards how your company’s works can value-add to the lives of others.
Source: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Robotic Edition (Themarysue.com)
2. A Main Character To Follow
A good story has a main protagonist who earns the empathy of the readers, encouraging them to take on his perspective of the unfolding of events. Likewise, be sure to establish the main actor of your story – the founder- and make him the central actor in the tale.
3. A Group Of Target Audience To Influence
Given the diverse personalities, worldviews and penchant of your audience, your cause may not resonate with everyone who chances upon it. It is thus of paramount importance for your company to determine specific groups of people to engage. This direction will subsequently inform the tone and register which your story is conveyed, and frame your interaction with them.
4. Growth And Progression
How has the company grown since its inception? The rise of the underdog is a favoured plotline because its humble beginnings is remarkably relatable to the everyday man, but yet the fulfilment of potential shows how greater things can be achieved amongst the mundane. The effect is akin to a feel-good movie. Movement forward is also a sign that your business is not built on sand, but is a sound model that is reliable and deserving of their trust.
5. Simplicity And Authenticity
Avoid complex storylines and dramatic trajectories. Convoluted timelines are less capable of delivering a clear and impactful message, while exaggerated plots make you seem like a magician pulling flowers out of his hat. Instead of trying too hard to impress your audience, be genuine and authentic instead. In an age where the market is saturated with information, the discerning audiences have been trained to acquire an acute eye of judgement that can see right through poorly-crafted content easily.
6. Consistency
Be sure to maintain the same personality from start to end, and align that personality with the way you interact with your customers. Nothing can be more mismatched than a company starting with a lower-class individual working his way to the top, only to offer a suite of exclusive services aimed solely at the higher strata of society. Thereafter, exude that personality through tactful tone and register in content, and coherence in design on your website.
Source: The Ya Kun Success Story (Vulcanpost.com)
7. Interesting Memorabilia
On one hand, this would attest to your story, and also show a sense of history and growth in your journey. For the older audiences, it may even evoke a pleasant sense of nostalgia.
8. A Connection To Resonate With Customer
Create an atmosphere of inclusivity, where your audience is part of something larger. Make them feel valued in that community. The contribution towards a charitable cause is a good example of this.
Source: Techcrunch.com
The End. Now What?
You have just concluded your brand story with its last full stop. What’s next? What your story needs now is exposure and activation in the market, for people to read it and learn more about your business.
The ideal method is to publish your story on a webpage where the visuals contribute to the story, and interfaces take your customer through the flow of the brand experience. InnoSavv expertizes in website design and development, in creating responsive and effective web pages adapted to all digital devices.
Source: Coolcolony.com
Further engagement is needed to retain audiences captivated by your brand story. Are you ready to paint a rosy picture? Let the specialists at InnoSavv help you! We’ll establish and maintain your online presence on Facebook with our Facebook Management experts! This service includes the posting of engaging content, Facebook ads, monitoring of customer response and distillation of progress reports for you to stay on top of your business!
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