There’s no denying the power of a great story. Stories entertain us, inspire us, and can even spark the courage needed to strike out and create our own heroic adventures. As a brand owner, your brand story functions in very much the same way.
To give it a clear definition, your brand story is a narrative that recounts the events that lead you to start your business — what inspired you, what struggles you faced, and how you overcame those struggles to build the brand you have today. At its core, your brand story is a valuable marketing tool. Unlike traditional marketing strategies, however, your brand story centers on building a solid emotional connection with your audience.
So how do you go about crafting your own brand story? Here are 4 simple prompts to guide you along:
Your Inspiration: What inspired you to build your business in the first place? Maybe you wanted to earn more money or just be your own boss? Maybe you wanted a more flexible schedule? Whatever circumstances inspired you to strike out on your own, include it in your brand story.
Your Struggles: What adversity have you faced in building your business? Perhaps you had trouble getting the funding you needed. Maybe you lacked support from your friends and family. Perhaps your self-doubt was holding you back? Try to focus on one major conflict you faced. Ultimately, stories are all about overcoming adversity. What’s going to resonate with your audience the most is the journey you took toward success, and what you had to conquer to get there.
Your Victories: How did you overcome the things you struggled with? What resources did you seek to help solve the problems you faced?
Your Future: What vision do you have for your brand’s future? All brands and businesses tend to expand and evolve, so what are your plans? What ideas have you thought about trying? This can mean anything from expanding your products and services, to possibly taking your brand in a different direction entirely.
Another thing to keep in mind when crafting your brand story is length. Try to keep your brand story limited to only 1 or 2 short paragraphs.
At heart, your brand story should be something your customers can relate to. When you put together a brand story that works, you elevate the perceived value of your product or service, create a bond of loyalty with your audience, and inspire others by sharing your vision with the world.