Developing a unique brand story is an essential part of your company’s brand identity. It is what holds your brand together and simultaneously differentiates you from your competitors. Many people think that it is merely the history of the brand; and while that is not entirely wrong, it should be so much more than that. It recounts the events that sparked your company’s inception and expresses how that narrative still drives your mission today. So, while you may be ready to dive in and build out your brand story, to truly understand how to write your brand story you must first understand WHY it’s important.
Why is a brand story important?
Brand story is important because when executed correctly, it can be a very powerful thing. This is your opportunity to not only connect with your target customers, but to also build trust and differentiate yourself. It provides customers with a better understanding of why you are the business you are today, and what differentiates you from competitors. What really makes you different and why should they choose your product or service over your competitors?
When a customer can relate to the ‘why’ of your company, they develop a deeper connection with your brand and in turn are more likely to become a customer/client. Those who have this connection and have already purchased your product/service oftentimes become loyal customers. Therefore, if you can craft a compelling story, your audience will remember who you are, develop empathy for you and ultimately, care about you. So how do you do that?
Tips for writing your brand story
Every business has a story to tell. In order to write a compelling brand story, you must:
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Find Your Why
Discuss why your company exists. How does your business help others? What pain point did you seek out to solve and why? What differentiates you from others? This is also a great place to highlight your mission & values and how they contribute to your differentiation.
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Know Your Audience
This ties into finding your ‘why’. Your audience is the who – who are you helping? What pain-point of theirs are you solving? Who are you relating to?
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Be Authentic
A good brand story is authentic. Your customers have an ability to see through the BS. Keep it real. A great way to do this is to show your personality – adding personality to your brand story can help make it more relatable and easy to understand.
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Highlight Conflict
At their core, stories are about overcoming adversity. A lack of conflict means there’s no drama or emotional journey for people to relate to. If there is no conflict, the story will need to work much harder to hold attention, much less resonate and inspire with customers/potential customers.
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Keep it Simple
Don’t overcomplicate the story. Readers will get lost and stop reading your brand story if it is too complicated and in depth. They are looking for some additional information to get to know you better but don’t want to read a novel.
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Constant Beta
Remember that your brand story should be a living document – as your business evolves so should your brand story.
Once you have developed your brand story, it’s time to go tell it on the mountain. Share it on your website, your marketing collateral, and across your social media channels. Make it memorable and repeatable. This narrative will also drive all of your internal and external communications because the best brands are consistent, authentic and relatable.