Marketing is a science, with complex numbers and analytics guiding best practices and how to structure your subsequent campaigns. However, creating a brand story that sets the foundation for your marketing approaches is more of an art.
You and your team need to explore your target market's interests, the current attitudes surrounding the types of products you sell, and the values people in your organization hold. From that, you can craft a brand story that resonates with your employees and your customers. Start with these steps in the brand story creation journey.
Your business's story should be (and probably already is) unique from other competitors in the space. By defining your intentions, company values, and goals, you can stand out to shoppers looking for a brand from which they can align their interests and feel good about purchasing.
Start creating the foundation for your brand story by asking yourself or your team these four questions:
Authenticity and transparency are core requirements for any successful brand story. Incorporate these tips to show your team and customers the real you.
Authenticity also relies on building a strong emotional connection with your audience. You can create stronger relationships and become more memorable by reaching out personally. Another key element of authenticity is building trust. If you consistently maintain the same message, especially regarding your values, shoppers will trust you and your brand story more.
For example, suppose you create environmentally-friendly messaging and back that up with green materials, packaging, and processes. In that case, shoppers will trust your brand more than if you focused solely on intermittent rhetoric.
Reaching out to value-driven customers is also a key part of building your story. Value-driven customers make purchase decisions based on how well a company's values align with their own.
Whether a shopper appreciates convenience, fair trade, or cutting-edge innovation, they'll buy products from brands that match those preferences. These customers can become lifelong shoppers and loyal community members, but they also demand consistent adherence to your stated values.
Your brand's unique personality is also another factor that differentiates your company from your competitors. Brand personality is made up of the human personality traits shoppers associate with your brand. Think of Wendy's sassy social media presence, Rolex's tone of luxury, and REI's personality of helpful outdoorsy-ness.
A brand personality should create a positive relationship or at least align with your target market's preferences. Create a style guide for all communication channels that establishes a consistent tone, attitude, and point of view, so shoppers understand your brand's personality. A style guide is a valuable tool for ensuring different content creators can create consistently styled ads, emails, long-form content, and more.
Holding back parts of your brand story also keeps your audience more engaged. Continually expanding on your journey, releasing new details, and building an approachable — rather than overwhelming — presence will keep your audience more interested in the long-term.
Creating a brand story is complicated, and sharing it can be even more challenging. Finding an expert media partner with experience assisting small and growing businesses can help you tell your story to your target markets.