2022 February

Your brand is much more than your logo or your company name. Brands inherently carry value, and they represent your company’s identity. The best way to inform your audience of the values your brand represents is to take them on an engaging journey and get them caught up in caring about your story. To make these concepts somewhat less abstract, we will explain in detail why your brand needs a story.

How to create a story for your brand

Unfortunately, developing an engaging story that captures the interest of your audience isn’t all that simple. You can’t just cobble together an About us page and call it a day. Technically you could, but that isn’t exactly the type of winning storytelling you are trying to achieve.

You’ll need to go back to your core values and ask yourself what exactly you want to accomplish. Think about what prompted you to found the company in the first place. Was there a specific spark of inspiration that led to the conception of your products? Generally, most products and services are created to respond to a need or solve a problem users might be having. Try to put into words the problems you are trying to solve and how you will make that happen for your customers.

Give your audience a taste of what makes your company unique, and inform them how their experience will be different if they choose to do business with you. Have your marketing carry meaning and purpose, and make your company’s values permeate every customer interaction. You might think that your products set you apart from the competition, but you first need to find a way to tell that to your audience.

What makes a good story?

You actually don’t need too many ingredients for a story to be good. Pretty much all that’s required is to have compelling characters and an obstacle they need to overcome. In this instance, your brand and all the people behind it will be the characters. When it comes to the obstacles – you can simply talk from experience. Stories are always about building a relationship with your audience. It’s time to open up and share your experiences and the struggles your business has faced so far. People always love a good underdog story, and if you present your tale in a compelling way, your audience will empathize and root for your success.

The benefits of creating a story for your brand

Having a story associated with your brand is a great way to get people to care. There are more businesses fighting for their 5 minutes in the spotlight than there are minutes in the day. It has become exceedingly difficult to stand out in an overcrowded market. However, if you manage to elicit a positive emotional response, you are more likely to create a lasting impression. By creating a captivating story, your brand will get easily recognized. Getting people to know who you are and care for your story is what marketing is all about. This is ultimately why your brand needs a story – because people’s impressions of your brand will make or break your business.

Brand storytelling in the modern marketplace

Basic psychology says you have very little time to make a first impression. You either win people over, or you don’t, and getting a do-over is almost impossible. Unfortunately, user attention spans in online spaces are ridiculously short. The average user is constantly bombarded by tons of information, and they have grown desensitized to traditional marketing. This gives you only a few opportunities to tell your story and explain what your brand is all about. Making an impactful first impression is why your brand needs a story that will help you attract the right audience.

You can forget traditional storytelling techniques. Your marketing on social media needs to be attention-grabbing, short, and impactful. Social networks like TikTok and Instagram commonly have users scroll over vast amounts of content in a manner of seconds. Businesses need to go the extra mile to ensure a positive customer experience because opportunities for user interaction are few and far between.

If you are in doubt about how to navigate the social media landscape, you should look at what is trending on those platforms. Both users and businesses are constantly outputting new content. Social networks have transitioned from places where users connect to platforms for consuming content. There is a reason content marketing has become the new industry buzzword. However, to make your content stand out, you need to master the art of short-form expression.

The minimalist approach

You need to be able to tell your brand story with the fewest possible number of individual elements. In this context, there are many design mistakes and pitfalls you have to avoid. All the design elements need to work in perfect harmony, and even the smallest piece of the puzzle needs to be able to tell your story.

Of course, there is also a necessity to tell your story more broadly once you get your audience to listen to what you have to say. At the end of the day, those small pieces need to connect to the larger and more complex parts. If you keep everything bite-sized, your values will appear to be only surface level. Use your website to post long-form articles that go into more detail about important topics. Create videos that demonstrate how to use your products and the benefits they provide. Most importantly, find a way to distill the essence of that longer content. You have to be able to showcase your best qualities in snippets.

Rounding up

Creating a compelling story will take some work, but it is bound to pay off. Modern audiences want to be engaged and entertained in a way that makes them feel understood. Having them connect to your business on a personal level is the best way to build a loyal customer base. Hopefully, we’ve explained why your brand needs a story and how to go about creating one for your business. Now it’s time to get creative and let everyone know what your brand is all about.

Meta description: Does your business get the attention it deserves? Many brands are struggling to get noticed, which is why your brand needs a story.

Thanks to Mary Aspen Richardson for the submission