Developing a brand story will help you express the personality of your brand to your audience in a way that will both attracts and delights them. Staying creative in your approach will help you stand out from your competitors and express a brand story that is genuine and unique to your business.

What a Brand Story Does For You

There will be a narrative around your brand whether or not you are the one to write it. Once your brand enters the public eye, the narrative about your brand will begin to form. It will grow and change based on what is said and thought about your brand. Each conversation, social media post, and communication from your business will combine to create this story.

Taking control of your brand story ensures that your business is perceived how you want it to be perceived. Rather than the public composing the story of your business, you can take charge and hand it to them. The story you tell about yourself is an opportunity for members of your audience to emotionally connect to your brand. It offers your customers a reason to choose you over your competitors.

Developing a thoughtful brand story will strengthen your marketing strategy. Each piece of marketing or communications will contribute to this narrative. The language you use in social media content and advertising should align with your brand story. Each message you send out should carry its essence. They should fit into the narrative smoothly. This will help you keep your brand consistent and easily understandable to your audience

Approach Your Brand Story Creatively

Tip 1. Incorporate your Purpose and HistorY

Why was your company started in the first place? Your business exists for a reason. As a business owner, you were inspired to put in the work and oftentimes dedicate your life to the cause. People can connect with the idea of being motivated to change something in society, make a difference, solve a problem, make life easier, or add more beauty to the world. Likely, your business strives to achieve one of these goals each day. Bring purpose to the forefront of your story.

Tip 2. Develop a Unique, Authentic Voice

How you tell your brand story is just as important as the story itself. If you are relaying your passion project with stale language, it won’t come across as a passion project. Create a catchy voice that genuinely represents your brand. You might find it necessary to hire outside writers to help you workshop an effective voice, but it can be key to developing a memorable brand.

Tip 3. Speak to Audience Members Like Friends

Find out how your audience communicates and what kind of stories are inspiring to them. Understanding the people you’re talking to is essential to telling an effective brand story. You can find out everything you need to know through market research or simply talking to your customers. Use the language they use and emphasize the ideas that are interesting to them.

Tip 4. Imagine Your Brand is a Person

This is a similar exercise to creating marketing personas for your customer segments. Take a moment and imagine this person. Give them a name. Who would they be? How would they talk? What Myers-Briggs personality type are they? What major themes exist in their life story? Think of your brand story as this person’s autobiography. This exercise can also help with developing a striking voice.

Tip 5. Make Your Story Visual

Storytelling isn’t limited to language. Your brand story can and should be backed up with visuals that make sense. Your brand image and your brand story should be similar aesthetically. They should complement and add to each other.

Tip 6. Be Community-Focused

Your story shouldn’t be all about you. Make your narrative bigger than your brand. Your business transcends a brick-and-mortar shop or an eCommerce site. Your business functions within a larger context interacting with a larger community. The same should go for your brand story. You can even invite (in a controlled sense) your community to participate in your story.

Telling Your Brand Story

Once you have a solid concept for your brand story—whether that takes the form of a written narrative, page of notes, or vision board—you can begin to tell it. Use elements of your brand story each time you communicate with your customers or create marketing materials like email drip campaigns or social media content. Make sure your website copy reflects your story. Use your brand story to guide the customer journey and to help you get to know your customer base. Like company values and mission statements, your brand story should be the theme you rely on whenever you represent your brand.

Use Your Brand Story to Captivate Your Audience

Your brand story is the link you are building between your business and your audience. Humans are naturally invested in stories, so it’s the best way to create a community around your business and to convince your audience of your value. Once you develop a story, stick to it in all of your communications. You’ll soon witness how it resonates with your audience.

how can a virtual assistant help?

If you need assistance with any of these steps, we have talented virtual digital marketers and content writers on staff that can help you.

Learn more about how a Virtual Assistant can help with your brand story.