Why TF You Need a Brand Story

This is the first edition of The Chanel Polk Writes Newsletter, a weekly newsletter where I share tips and insight on brand building and content writing in the age of artificial intelligence, plus tips for completing your nonfiction manuscript.

If this is our first time meeting, welcome! Please subscribe and click or tap here to learn more about me and what I do.

This week, we'll look at how a good brand story can work for you. Let's get into it!

Who TF did I Marry is indeed ReesaTeesa's brand story.?

Whether you’re a freelancer looking to snag more clients, a professional looking to advance your career, or an entrepreneur working hard to get more customers, having a brand story that tells people who the fudge you are ?? and how and why your brand came to be is essential.?

Brand stories give others a glimpse into who you are and take them on a journey that shows where you started and how you got to where you are today.?

This post will take a look at how brand stories work and how to craft them.?

Why Brand Stories Matter

Everyone loves a good story, and if you got swept up in the recent frenzy caused by TikTok sensation ReesaTeesa’s 50-part series, Who TF Did I Marry, you understand why.?

Spoiler Alert

In case you missed it, Tareasa Johnson, who goes by ReesaTeesa on TikTok, went viral for sharing her experience marrying and then divorcing a man she calls a “pathological liar.”?

The story told in 50 ten-minute segments, takes viewers on a wild ride as it chronicles Tareasa’s experience, revealing one jaw-dropping lie after another told by “Legion” her now ex-husband.

In it, a whirlwind romance leads to moving in together at the start of the pandemic just weeks after meeting. Legion quickly starts paying all of the bills, which is a breeze since he’s vice president of a condiment company and has a nest egg from his days as an arena football player.

Soon, the couple is pregnant, engaged and putting in offers on homes, but each falls through. Teresa miscarries, then senses something isn’t right with her relationship, and after investigating, she discovers her husband is broke and has lied to her about who he is and what he does for a living leaving her asking who TF did she marry.?

I didn’t intend to watch it, but after the first ten minutes, I was hooked. Every time one video ended, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next out of sheer curiosity. Drawn in by Tareasa’s natural storytelling ability and the incredible details of her story, I was completely captivated, and when I finished watching, I wanted to know even more.

Was she going to write a book? Would there be a TV show? A Lifetime movie? She had created a brand I was a huge fan of without even knowing it just by sharing her story. Today, Tareasa is doing podcasts, working with a management team and using the opportunities granted to her by telling her story to build a personal brand. Who TF did I Marry is indeed her brand story.?

Essential Elements of a Brand Story

Every brand story contains specific elements that help it strike the right chord with the people who read or hear it. Without them, it won’t have the desired effect and can even repel people entirely. Let’s look at the elements ReesaTeesa included in her brand story and see how you can use them to craft an effective brand story of your own.??

Read the full post