A brand story is not just a catchy slogan or a catchy logo. It is a narrative that connects your brand with your customers, communicates your values, and inspires action. A well-crafted brand story can help you stand out from the competition, build trust and loyalty, and increase conversions. But how can you create a brand story that sells? Here are some tips to guide you.
Before you start writing your brand story, you need to know who you are writing for. Who are your ideal customers? What are their needs, goals, challenges, and motivations? How can your brand help them solve their problems or achieve their aspirations? How do they perceive your brand and your competitors? You can use tools like customer personas, surveys, interviews, and social media analytics to gather insights about your audience and tailor your message accordingly.
Your brand story should not only tell what you do, but also why you do it. What is your mission, vision, and values? What is the impact you want to make in the world? How do you differentiate yourself from others in your industry? Your purpose should be clear, authentic, and relevant to your audience. It should also align with your brand identity, voice, and tone. Your purpose should be the core of your brand story and the driving force behind your actions.
A good brand story has a structure, a plot, and a climax. It follows the classic storytelling arc of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. You can use this framework to create a compelling narrative that engages your audience and leads them to a desired outcome. For example, you can start with the exposition, where you introduce your brand, your audience, and the problem or opportunity. Then, you can move to the rising action, where you show how your brand offers a solution or a benefit. Next, you can reach the climax, where you highlight the main value proposition or the unique selling point of your brand. Then, you can wrap up with the falling action, where you show the results or the testimonials of your customers. Finally, you can end with the resolution, where you call your audience to action or invite them to join your community.
WRITE WITH, NOT FOR: As part of the drive to start thinking of users as co-creators, you may need to reframe your brand’s own role in the relationship, from sole fixer with all the answers to collaborative facilitator and creative partner. Sharing your brand at all levels means your brand is less a finished, perfectly defined character and more of a growing co-star, supporting users in their own ambitions and individual purposes. You’ll need to think of co-creation as an ongoing process for users to help shape your brand offerings around their own goals.
Great point, Reid. The brand that has all the answers risks being the brand that is solving/answering the wrong problem, absent deep consumer insights and latent needs. Writing with, not for, might seem scary but what true innovation isn’t… Your contribution brings to mind the great HBS Design Thinking and Innovation course we recently completed. ;)
Emotions are powerful tools to connect with your audience and influence their behavior. People tend to remember stories that make them feel something, whether it is joy, sadness, anger, or surprise. You can use emotions to create a memorable brand story that resonates with your audience and motivates them to act. You can use techniques like storytelling hooks, sensory details, metaphors, anecdotes, humor, or suspense to evoke emotions and capture attention. You can also use emotions to reinforce your brand personality and tone.
Consistency is key to building a strong brand story and a loyal customer base. You need to ensure that your brand story is consistent across all your channels, platforms, and touchpoints. You need to use the same message, voice, tone, style, and visuals to convey your brand story. You also need to deliver on your brand promise and meet your customers' expectations. Consistency helps you create a coherent and credible brand image and identity.
A great strategy is the starting place for consistency. Knowing who you want to reach, with what message, and what goal you're hoping to achieve are the starting place for strategy.