Does your brand stand out from the crowd? A great brand story can help catch potential customers’ eyes and win loyalty for years to come. A brand story provides an opportunity to share how your business came to be, what makes it stand out, and the mission and values that inform your daily operations. A genuine brand story also can make a big difference for consumers: 88% of customers say authenticity is an important factor in deciding which brands to support, with 50% saying it’s very important (PDF).
A great brand story can deliver an authentic message that strikes a chord with your target audience. Here are components to keep in mind when creating the perfect brand story:
Elements of a great brand story
- It’s authentic.
- It demonstrates your brand’s unique mission and values.
- It’s relatable.
- It evolves with customer feedback.
Show authenticity
An authentic brand story is one way to build—or capitalize on—your brand’s credibility to nurture trusting relationships with your audience. To help customers get to know your brand’s real story, don’t be afraid to and share meaningful development milestones over time. This is a great way to demonstrate your brand’s commitment to truth and transparency, and customers will feel connected and loyal because it’ll seem like they’ve been with you since the beginning.
Share this historical approach to your brand story by posting throwback pictures on your social media or embracing vintage vibes with promotional business gifts, like backpacks, toques or fleece outerwear imprinted with a retro logo.
Demonstrate your brand’s unique mission and values
Help your business stand out by creating a brand story that illustrates the uniqueness of your brand and the special benefits of the products or services you provide. One way to do this is to or pain point your target audience may experience—then explain how your company’s mission and values help resolve the problem for customers. For example, does your audience struggle to find stylish clothing options at an affordable price? Your brand story might explain how your brand value of empathy helps you achieve your mission of making high-quality fashion accessible for all shoppers. Are your clients challenged with procuring creative design work to meet fast-paced deadlines? Your brand story might highlight your mission to produce beautiful designs in less time, and your value of clear communication helps makes that possible. Customers will appreciate the thoughtful approach to what makes your company different.
Make it relatable
Customers want to feel connected to a brand on a personal level. To help make your brand more relatable, don’t shy away from using a personable tone and funny or silly content. Posting memes or videos that help people laugh will make you seem more genuine and fun.
Audiences will also engage with posts that highlight the of your brand. Tell stories about mistakes or setbacks your company may have faced in the past. Be sure to include how you overcame them and the lessons learned from the experience. Customers will appreciate your transparency, and they’ll love that your brand has persevered through tough times before.
Get feedback
As consumer tastes and preferences change, your brand story may need to change too. Consider collecting constant feedback to keep your brand story relevant to the needs of your target audience. Here are suggestions for collecting feedback:
- Monitor social media comments and messages for customer concerns or ideas.
- Post polls on your social media pages or through email.
- Include self-addressed, stamped feedback cards with customer orders.
- Ask phone customers to complete an optional survey at the end of their call.
Don’t forget to elicit team member feedback too. Your employees may have innovative ideas about how the company can better respond to clients’ questions or concerns. Thank participants for their time with promotional business gifts, like a 3-in-1 insulator/travel tumbler, compact mirror or LED Mood Ball.
Capture your audience’s attention with a great brand story
A great brand story can help introduce your business to a wider audience. By sharing your brand’s roots, mission and values in a relatable and genuine way, you can build stronger relationships with customers and win their loyalty.
Key Takeaways
- Showcase your brand’s history
- Explain how you’re unique
- Highlight your human side
- Grow with feedback from customers