It’s a crowded marketplace out there.
Millions of content is being created. Millions more dollars are being spent to bring it to life.
What’s all this for? Attention.
Even just a second of an audience’s attention is priceless, given the bombardment of similar messages and words customers have coming at them every minute of the day.
Once upon a time, it was enough for businesses to simply share their mission in a bid to help customers get to know them. They might evenshare their manifesto—peppering in words like ‘innovate’, ‘adaptability’ and ‘transparency.'
Now with so many businesses using a revolving door of these words, it’s hard for customers to tell them apart. Let alone connect with them. It’s all about making people feel something—something deeper—to really show casewho they are.
Brand stories—compelling ones—have risen to the top of the branding must-have list.
“Storytelling is about connecting to other people and helping people to see what you see”.
Michael Margolis, Narrative Strategist
It’s still a balancing act today. People suffer from saturation overload—including brand overload.
Brands need to tread carefully with how they put themselves out there if they are wanting to connect and make a lasting, and good, impression. Creating a compelling brand and engaging customers without bombarding them is the balance that’s needed.
Building brand awareness and connection isn’t just about getting your message out there: it’s about capturing attention and telling a great, memorable story. The better the brand story, the better the chance it will cut through the noise and actually grab attention.
People want to know the "why" behind a brand. With this, brands need to be creative and authentic and avoid directly saying “this is my why”— like dotting your ‘i’s and crossing your ‘t’s.
Storytelling is a powerful way to create a meaningful connection with your audience. Having it is just the starting point. Executing it properly is a whole different playing field.
“Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone”.
Jennifer Aaker, Stanford Marketing Professor
Assembling the right elements and touchpoints is essential for great storytelling. It’s simply about taking the person on a journey. When the right elements are woven together, it can result in transformation and, ideally, action.
Quick fire tips
- People are behind brands — being relatable and having your personality shine through is key.
- Your brand story isn't a documentary nor a highlight reel — make it interesting, not a history timeline. Strike a balance.
- If your brand’s story doesn’t inspire you, it won’t inspire anyone else.
- Don’t forget to share it (and no, not just plonked on your website).
Humans are programmed to listen to and tell stories.
Your brand story isn’t a marketing tool; it’s a cornerstone of your brand identity that shapes how people perceive and interact with your brand.
While important for any company, brand storytelling is particularly key for start-ups. This is because the brand is unknown and they need people to become advocates for them. Your brand storytelling comes into play by creating loyal fans, admirers and band-wagoners (the good kind).
Your brand story is different from content marketing storytelling.
Content marketing is online content and social media. The brand story is the backbone: the genesis and the tool to help create these marketing materials. Your brand story should be done strategically to get the most out of the story and then implemented correctly and not just as highlights.
At the end of the day customers should know why you care about their problems and how you can help them.
If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.
David Brier, branding and brand identity expert, designer, speaker, blogger and author of “Brand Intervention”
Connecting with an audience has always been something of an art form – it’s part of the magic of a great storyteller. Today businesses need to connect with audiences, pull at their heartstrings, and engage with them on a much deeper level than ever before.
2023 was the year of Artificial Intelligence. Because of this, 2024 is the era of storytelling.
Your brand storytelling will define your path to success in today’s world. If it doesn’t connect, neither will you – in a sea of sameness, make sure you're unforgettable.
