Your business growth starts and ends with your brand's story. The access to your client base is on the other side of your strategic use of business storytelling. If you have no clue what that means or where to start, have no fear. Write Way Consulting has the explanation for you. This quick read will get you where you need to be. Oh, and if you haven't done it yet, click subscribe, so you get notified whenever we post a blog.
1. Do more than tell the history. Build your brand's story.
What is your favorite film? Scratch that. Who is your favorite superhero or movie main character? Now that you have a picture of them in your mind, think about how the movie puts their story front and center. You inevitably become engaged by their story and want to see the main character win despite all odds. That's because you've gotten engaged in their origin story. You've seen the difficulty they've overcome and want to see them win. Now that you understand the concept, it's time to do the same for your brand's story. Tell your audience why you created your brand, the problem it solves for others, and how your brand can solve their problem.
Example: I used to hate attending networking events because I didn't know what to say. I remember feeling awkward at a networking event, not knowing what to say while trying to have a conversation with someone. That's why I created my brand, Chatline Coaching, to erase the discomfort of chit-chat and replace it with intention-based content by coaching clients.
The example above is very bare-boned, but in that sentence, the owner of this fake brand has identified a problem, personalized it by sharing their story, and introduced a brief overview of how the brand can help. They shared the brand's origin story. You can do this too. It's all about creating a unique angle and infusing it in every ounce of copy you write.
2. Connect with your audience. Let them know you aren't that different from them.
Unless you have supreme confidence, nine times out of ten, you've experienced the discomfort of being on the receiving end of a difficult networking conversation. The person you're talking to seems engaging, and you've been chatting with them. But, the inevitable dead uncomfortable space creeps in, and so does your anxiety or discomfort. No one wants to feel that. So, the founder connected with you on the emotional level of never feeling that again. Again, this is just a basic example, and depending on your brand, it will go way deeper than an awkward exchange. The point is to connect with your clientele at a level of commonality. At the end of the day, people want to be heard and seen. They want to know they are not alone in feeling how they feel. Find that connection and find your brand community.
3. Place your story all throughout your marketing.
In every marketing effort, share your story. This doesn't mean repeating the same thing, but weaving elements of your story into your campaigns. For example, using our fake brand from above, they could craft a marketing email campaign with a typical small talk staple, "How about this weather?" in the subject line, and in the email body copy tap into the emotion someone may feel by being asked this question. They could counter this sentiment by using a line like, "Don't you want to avoid questions like this and have an engaging conversation?" Next, they'd input their brand's offer and how it can help.
4. Don't just tell it, show it.
The best voices to tell your brand story are the clients you've worked with and converted them into believers of your brand. Using the brand Chatline Consulting, they could get personal accounts of all their clients who have had success using their techniques at networking events. These narratives are easy to get and provide proof of what your brand can do and how your brand's story impacted them.
5. Be real in ALL that you do.
Wherever you tell your story and how you do it, ensure it is truthful and honest. People are highly in tune when things aren't quite right. What captures your audience's attention is your authenticity. Draw people into the reality of your story, and they'll buy into your brand.
I hope this article was helpful to you. The biggest takeaway is to infuse all content with your brand's story to help promote real growth in your company. In the comments, let us know how you develop your brand's story.
