Six Essential Elements of Brand Storytelling
Every brand has a story. It’s how you share it that sets you apart.
Great brand stories cast the customer in the role of the hero who embarks on a journey that follows the natural narrative progression of beginning, middle and end:
- In the beginning, your customer has a problem to solve.
- The middle is the solution you offer that your customer uses
- And the end is their success.
At first, your job is to define your brand story for yourself and why it’s important your audience hears it. Then, you need to start digging deeper and get to the nitty gritty of it all.
When you start crafting your brand story, you become a storyteller on behalf of your organization. Telling a great brand story allows you to connect with your audience, get them engaged, and if told well, elevate your brand. At Honest Agency, we do that by considering six essential elements of the story.
THE SIX ELEMENTS
1) Clarity
Be clear and direct with what you want to say and how you say it. Tell your audience who you are, what you do, why you’re doing it and who you’re doing it for – all while remembering that you’re speaking as your brand.
2) Character
Incorporate your brand’s voice and personality. People often see organizations as profit-driven ‘its’, so use your story to change their mind. Show – don’t tell – your audience that behind your organization are real people. Humans just like them, with real feelings, values and experiences. Humanize your brand and show people that your organization cares, empathizes and stands for something important.
3) Consistency
Keep your messaging consistent everywhere: not only with what you say, but how you act and how the people in your organization present themselves. If your brand story clearly dictates that you are dedicated to fighting climate change and keeping the world clean and green, you can’t have your employees’ actions contradicting that. Consistency – among all aspects of your brand – is key.
4) Authenticity
People can tell the real from the fake from a mile away. Your current and prospective clients will be able to tell if you’re being genuine or putting on a show to increase your organizations metrics.
5) Emotion
People are driven by emotion – often more than logic – so being able to evoke an emotional response from your audience is a must. Emotion drives action and you want people to take action.
6) Audience
Know your audience. Who are you telling your story to and why should they care to hear it? Who is going to have the greatest response and benefit from what you’re doing?
REINFORCE THE WHY BEHIND YOUR BRAND
People don’t work with organizations for the sake of doing so. They’re not going to buy-in just because you’re offering what they might need. They’re going to work with your organization because they know WHY they should.
So, make sure your brand story tells them WHY, and remember: if you need help refining your brand strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’d love to chat.
Interested in finding out more about how you can transform your business with a purpose-driven brand? Let's chat.
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The time to transform your brand and your business is now.
We've helped hundreds of organizations build authentic brands by helping them define their positioning, find their purpose, and clarify their messaging. We can help you too.
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