A compelling B2B brand story and message can help you stand out from the competition, connect with your target audience, and inspire trust and loyalty. But how do you create and communicate it effectively? Here are some tips to guide you through the process.
Before you craft your brand story and message, you need to know who you are talking to and what they care about. Research your ideal customers, their pain points, goals, challenges, and preferences. Use surveys, interviews, social media, and analytics to gather insights and feedback. Create buyer personas that represent your segments and use them to tailor your communication.
If you don't understand your audience chances are you're going too wide rather than too deep. It's better to do ONE thing for ONE audience, and be the best in the world at it, then it is to try to be ALL things to ALL people.
Your brand story and message should reflect your purpose and value proposition. Why do you exist? What problem do you solve? How do you make a difference? What makes you unique? These questions can help you articulate your mission, vision, and values, as well as your benefits and differentiators. Use clear, concise, and compelling language that resonates with your audience.
Your brand story and message should be consistent, coherent, and engaging. Use storytelling techniques to create a narrative that connects your brand with your audience on an emotional level. Show how you understand their needs, how you can help them achieve their goals, and how you can add value to their lives. Use examples, testimonials, case studies, and stories to illustrate your points and build credibility.
The key to building a compelling Brand Story - is that YOU don't create it at all, your best customers do. It's a concept called "Echo Marketing." Ask your best customer a series of questions like: 1.) How would you describe our product or service to a colleague? 2.) What impact has our company had on your business? 3.) How would your life be different if we weren't working together. Using your customers own words, you'll be able to craft a world-class message that will resonate with other buyers just like them.
Your brand story and message should be adapted to the channels and formats that your audience uses and prefers. Depending on your goals, budget, and resources, you can use various media such as websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, webinars, ebooks, white papers, social media, email, and more. Make sure you optimize your content for each channel and format, using relevant keywords, hashtags, images, headlines, and calls to action.
Choosing the right marketing channel is easy... Find where your customers are already hanging out. - What social channels? - Who do they follow? - What associations are they in? Meet your buyers where they're already located.
Your brand story and message should be delivered consistently and strategically. Plan your content calendar, schedule your posts, and monitor your performance. Use analytics and metrics to measure your reach, engagement, conversion, and retention. Test and refine your content based on the results and feedback. Keep your brand story and message fresh, relevant, and authentic.
Your brand story and message should not be a one-way communication. You need to engage with your audience, listen to their questions, comments, and feedback, and respond accordingly. Encourage dialogue, interaction, and participation. Build relationships, trust, and loyalty. Invite your audience to share their stories, experiences, and opinions. Make them feel part of your brand community.
The key is to make your audience the hero of the story. Highlight how your product or service empowers them to achieve their goals and overcome challenges. Craft messaging that speaks directly to their pain points and aspirations. Then engage in two-way dialogue - don't just broadcast your brand story. Actively listen, respond, and incorporate your audience's perspectives. Make them collaborators in shaping an evolving narrative that resonates. Share user stories and spotlights. Facilitate peer sharing and connections. This makes your audience feel truly seen, valued and invested in bringing the brand story to life.
Agree with everything and would add that is also important to craft the message to the specific channel. The story should remain the same but the way it is ingested varies so important to not only craft the what but also make sure it fits the form factor