The importance of storytelling when it comes to your brand
Storytelling is a powerful way for brands to connect with their customers and engage their employees. Crafting compelling stories can give life to your brand by highlighting its purpose and values, and let its personality take center stage.
As someone who has used words to make a living for close to 15 years now, I admit I may be a little biased about the power of storytelling. But every brand I’ve ever worked for knew that it wasn’t just the words that were selling things, it was the story behind those words that are bringing in customers. It’s well worth it to craft and share authentic stories that will move your audience.
Stories help forge emotional connections
A good story triggers the part of the brain that’s responsible for emotions, memories, visualization, and empathy. (For that matter, bad stories do too, but we’re going to stick to the sunny side of life on this one.) An emotionally-engaging story creates a lasting impression and builds a connection between audiences and your brand. Sharing stories from your internal team, as well as ones from customers, help to establish those emotional bonds.
Stories bring your purpose and values to life
Stories demonstrate your brand’s higher ambitions beyond just turning a profit. Nobody wants to be a numbered cog in a soulless machine, right? Go beyond posting your company credo on an “About” page, and showcase how you and your team actually live out the values and purpose of your company. For potential customers, they see a brand worth investing time and money into; for employees, they affirm that they work for a company with principles, and feel more inspired to do their best work.
Stories establish your brand personality and voice
The stories you choose to share tell a lot about your brand: what’s meaningful to you? What is important to share with your audience? What is the image you want people to have of your company? For customers, this is what they will see when they want to know what interactions and experiences with your company will feel like.
Looking at common themes and elements in your stories will not only help to establish your brand personality, it can also become a feedback loop, where every new chapter in your story is informed by the ones that came before it, while also laying the groundwork for chapters to come.
How to share compelling brand stories
The key thing to remember when sharing your story–whether that’s on your website, social media, product packaging, or press materials–is that the story needs to remain consistent, and it needs to be engaging. Include pictures, infographics, and behind-the-scenes footage with your stories; make short videos for social media or start a podcast to bring those stories to life.
One mistake companies often make is to relegate the actual telling of the story to the marketing department. In reality, it’s the entire company that should have buy-in and be able to share it during sales calls, at the conference booth, or even to an interested bar-goer they meet at happy hour.
Wrapping up
Crafting a compelling story isn’t just about selling your idea or product, it’s about building brand loyalty and creating a sustainable and authentic voice. Sharing stories that highlight your brand purpose, reinforce company values, and build an emotional connection is a powerful way to connect with customers and employees alike. Be relatable, memorable, and trustworthy, and you’ll build a following that shares your vision.
