Telling your brand story

Since early civilisation, storytelling has been woven into the fabric of human interaction. A way of sharing generational wisdom, telling tall tales of triumph and tribulation, negotiating between rival tribes or simply to entertain around the campfire — the art of storytelling has been a driving force in the advancement of society.

We may relate, empathise, oppose, find meaning, or be repulsed — the point is we feel something. A story stirs emotions, and as such, can be a powerful branding tool.

Don’t tell us what, tell us why

Visit the majority of brands’ websites and you’ll find a page titled something like ‘About us’, ‘Who we are’, or ‘Our story’. But what these pages actually do is tell us what the company sells: “We’ve been making cars since 1985” … “Our bakers make the finest cakes in London” … “We provide best-in-class insurance services”. All great, but so what?

That might sound a little harsh, but you’d struggle to find a company that does something that no one else does — even if the scale is different. There are very few truly unique products or services. What sets brands apart is when they reveal a reason behind why they do what they do rather than provide a simple run down of their history or an outline of their offering.?

A famous TED Talk by author and business guru Simon Sinek articulates this perfectly. He uses Apple as an example, encouraging his audience to imagine if their communication strategy went something like this:

We make great computers —> They’re beautifully designed and user-friendly —> Wanna buy one?

?Uninspiring and not particularly memorable. He continues to explain how Apple actually goes about things:

In everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently —> We do this by making our products beautifully designed and user-friendly —> This means we happen to make great computers.

The first part — the ‘why’ — is the bit that people remember and is more likely to resonate with an audience. The strongest and most successful brands base every decision on how closely it reflects their ‘why’ — and this consistency and authenticity ultimately breeds trust among customers.

Who does it best?

Ben and Jerry’s provides a great example of exactly what we’re talking about. From their homepage:?

We love making ice cream — but using our business to make the world a better place gives our work its meaning.

Whilst they acknowledge what they do up front, they quickly support this with a driving principle that fuels everything the brand does.

Tony’s Chocolonely does something similar:

Our mission is to make 100% slave free the norm in chocolate.

Most outside observers would describe them as a chocolate company. The brand makes clear that the chocolate is a vehicle for social change.

In 2018, Patagonia redefined their mission as:

Patagonia is in business to save our home planet.

Nothing about outdoor wear, hiking gear, or climbing accessories — that comes later. Their goal is immediately clear. And everything the brand does comes back to this principle. It’s in the products they sell, the grassroots activism they support, and the way they own their environmental impact.

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Now it’s your turn

Here are Point 6’s top tips for writing your own authentic, powerful brand story:

1.???? Forget what you sell

What motivates your team? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is there a niche problem your business solves, or something specific you make easier for your customers? This is how you find your why. Your products or services are simply a reaction to that why.

2.???? Find your voice

First impressions count for a lot, and a huge part of making a good first impression lies in how you speak and how you come across. Finding your brand’s unique voice tells customers that you’re authentic before they even know what you sell. Try to imagine your brand as a person. Do you have a calm, assured wisdom and authority like David Attenborough? Or are you energetic, offbeat and quirky like Jim Carrey? When you decide, make sure this tone of voice comes through in your brand story and at every other touchpoint.

3.???? Shout about your differences?

As we said earlier, it’s highly likely that there’ll be tens or even hundreds of companies who essentially offer the same products or services as you. So instead talk about the things that make you different. This could be the support you give to local charities, or the benefits you give your staff, or your commitment to tracking and reporting your environmental impact.

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Storytelling is so important to humans because it reveals something about ourselves. It creates the space for bonds to be built, concepts to be challenged, friendships to form, and brands to be believed. Combining the elements above sets you on the right path to creating a true brand story that is far more likely to resonate with your target audience.

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