How to attract your target audience with your brand story
Octavia Warren Gilmore
?? The Millennial CEO ?? Multicultural Branding & Marketing Unicorn ?? Fractional CMO ?????? Goldman Sachs 10KSB Alum
Brands rely more and more on storytelling to engage customers and prospects. More than 80% of brands use storytelling, and?research ?says that telling your brand story with words can increase sales by up to 111%. But telling your brand story isn’t just about marketing. It’s about being authentic. This authenticity applies to everything from writing job ads, to email newsletters, to website copy, to tweets, to blog posts. If your “brand voice” starts to become an annoying sales pitch, you’ve crossed over into inauthenticity.?But if your brand story is told with words so captivating that they bring the reader along for the ride, you are on to something.
WHAT IS?YOUR BRAND STORY?
Brand storytelling is a critical component of any marketing plan. It’s no longer enough to gloss over your product features, pricing, and buying options – customers want to know the why behind your business. Brand storytelling takes many forms, including blog posts, social media content, and email marketing. But the most powerful and engaging brand stories can be told through words.?
Everyone has a story. And the stories people tell about your brand are just as important as the products and services your business offers. Your brand story is a unique selling proposition (USP) that tells your audience why they need you, what makes you so special, and why they should trust your product or service. Your brand story is also a great way to build your brand equity. Brand equity is the value or recognition associated with your brand. It increases over time as your story grows and as more people become familiar with your brand.
Your brand story should encompass all of your offline and online marketing efforts. It should be consistent across all channels, and it should evolve over time to reflect changes in your business. Consumers are inundated with marketing messages every day. They just tune out most of it. But when they notice your brand story, they’ll remember it. And they’ll be more likely to engage with your brand. A brand story can make or break your business. It’s those emotional, memorable, engaging stories that people tell each other about your brand.
WHY SHOULD YOU EVEN HAVE A BRAND STORY?
Brand storytelling is a critical component of any marketing plan. It’s no longer enough to gloss over your product features, pricing, and buying options – customers want to know the why behind your business. Brand storytelling takes many forms, including blog posts, social media content, and email marketing. But the most powerful and engaging brand stories can be told through words.?
Everyone has a story. And the stories people tell about your brand are just as important as the products and services your business offers. Your brand story is a unique selling proposition (USP) that tells your audience why they need you, what makes you so special, and why they should trust your product or service. Your brand story is also a great way to build your brand equity. Brand equity is the value or recognition associated with your brand. It increases over time as your story grows and as more people become familiar with your brand.
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Your brand story should encompass all of your offline and online marketing efforts. It should be consistent across all channels, and it should evolve over time to reflect changes in your business. Consumers are inundated with marketing messages every day. They just tune out most of it. But when they notice your brand story, they’ll remember it. And they’ll be more likely to engage with your brand. A brand story can make or break your business. It’s those emotional, memorable, engaging stories that people tell each other about your brand.
HOW DO YOU TELL YOUR BRAND STORY?
Define your purpose.?The first step in crafting your brand story is to clearly define it. The importance of telling your brand story through words cannot be overstated. Whether it’s for a blog, a brochure, or a press release, writing your narrative is an essential part of marketing your brand. Now, it should be no surprise that storytelling is a key component of marketing. After all, a story is the very essence of marketing. Without a story, there is no narrative. Without a narrative, there is no marketing.
Yet, in today’s digital world, it is all too easy to lose sight of the “why” behind digital communications, and the “what” that the story is trying to communicate. By focusing on “how” and “what” — in other words, “how” and “what” technology can do — we risk getting lost in language and jargon and losing sight of our intended audience. Storytelling, on the other hand, is about communicating the “why,” the “what,” and the “who.” It’s about communicating the passion and emotion behind your brand. After all, a brand is a promise of value. Companies that succeed in the long-term are those that manage to build a brand that truly represents who they are, what they offer, and how that offering will make the lives of their customers better. In today’s fragmented, hyperconnected world, it’s easy for brands to become lost in the noise.
Use powerful words.?Brand stories can be told through words, photos or videos. But when it comes to conveying your brand story, words have the greatest impact. That’s because words have a far more commanding presence in the human mind than images, videos, or any other type of media. Think of your message as an elevator pitch. It’s a short, memorable description of what you do and why people should care. It should also be relevant, specific, and concise.
The best brand stories have an emotional element. When people feel a connection with your story, they’re willing to buy. A good brand story has three parts: The problem you solve for your customers, the benefits you provide, and the emotional appeal of the story itself.
To recap, your brand’s story embodies your brand’s values, mission, and overall purpose.
Defining your brand’s story through words helps you and your employees align your company’s values and mission, and helps you communicate your values to your audience. When you are successful at communicating your brand story, your audience will be more likely to remember your company and want to engage and follow its development. Remember, keeping your company top-of-mind should be a goal as it results in loyal, repeat customers.
Everyone has a brand story. It’s about how you operate. It’s about how you’re different. It’s about what inspires you. It’s about how you connect with your target market. It’s about how you help people. If you need help elevating your story, then give us a call. We will work with you to map out your brand’s unique personality, and then make it shine in everything you do, from the products or services you sell to stories you tell. Connect with us?here . For your company, having customers who are committed to you is key to success. We want to help you connect with your people and inspire them to take action. ??