How to Get Better at Storytelling in Branding?
In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for building and promoting a brand. This comprehensive guide will examine the craft of brand storytelling and give you an in-depth understanding of how to master it.
We'll delve deeply into the world of brand storytelling, empowering you with the knowledge and abilities to craft stories that resonate with your audience, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting impression. Topics covered will range from comprehending the historical significance of storytelling to mastering the nine essential steps for creating compelling brand narratives.
What Is Brand Storytelling?
A compelling story communicates your brand's identity, mission, and culture effectively to your target audience. Storytelling helps brands connect emotionally with their audience by creating a series of plot points.
A story that cultivates empathy holds the audience's attention, and compels a customer to act directly in the brand's interest is a powerful brand story.
A Brief History of Storytelling
Since ancient times, telling stories has played a crucial role in human communication. The transmission of knowledge, culture, and beliefs has relied heavily on storytelling, from early oral traditions to the written word. Early marketing and advertising set the foundation for storytelling in the context of branding.
Because it helps clients understand who you are and why your company exists, a brand story is important. Customers connect with your brand and may be more likely to buy from you when they can understand your why. Customers are more likely to stay loyal to you if they connect with you and like your products.
Why Does Brand Storytelling Matter?
Brand storytelling matters because it helps your brand stand out in a crowded market. A carefully produced brand story may hold your audience's attention and make a lasting impact in a world filled with advertisements and information.
It matters because it helps your brand stand out in a large audience, that's why brand storytelling is important. A well-crafted visual brand story may engage your audience and make a lasting impression.
It gives your brand a human face, which makes it memorable and relatable. Customers are more likely to remain loyal to your brand if they share your values.
What Makes Brand Storytelling So Powerful?
Brand storytelling is powerful because it appeals to psychological aspects of people. People are drawn to narratives by nature, and stories may trigger strong feelings, which will make your brand more compelling. When used effectively, brand storytelling helps your company and its audience feel more connected and trustworthy.
The main character and the audience form an emotional connection in great storytelling. The ability to connect with the main character is what enables the audience to lose themselves in the story line completely. The audience feels the main character's suffering, desperation, and empathy when they face a challenge that seems unsolvable.
9 Steps to Get Better at Brand Storytelling
1. Discover where it all began
Understanding your brand's history is the first step to mastering brand storytelling. Learn about its past, the inspirations behind its founders, and the fundamental principles that have formed it.
2. Craft the adventure of your brand
Each brand has its own journey. Create the narrative of your brand's development, highlighting the difficulties, places of interest, and defining events that have shaped it. Tell the story of the journey your brand took to get to where it is today.
3. Shape your brand's character
Creating a character for your brand is an important part of brand storytelling. Is your brand friendly, serious, or daring? The personality of your brand should be in line with your objective and resonate with your target market.
4. Clarify your brand's mission and principles
What values does your brand promote? Make sure that your brand story accurately reflects your brand's objective and guiding principles by clarifying them. Your story ought to demonstrate the fundamental principles that guide your brand.
5. Embark on the emotional voyage
The heart of any good storytelling is emotion. Start an emotional journey if you want to connect with your audience. Transmit relatable successes, struggles, and experiences. Make your audience experience the same feelings that your brand came across on the way.
6. Crafting the narrative solution
A fascinating story has a conflict that is resolved. This captivates and maintains the audience. Describe the difficulties your brand has encountered and how it overcame them. This builds suspense and improves the interest level of your story.
7. Outline your brand's story and its significance
Your brand's story requires a detailed plan. Point out what makes it distinct, exceptional, and meaningful. Your brand's importance should be the main subject of your storytelling. Why should your audience care about your brand?
8. Put pen to paper for your brand's tale
Write your brand's story with imagination and style. Make it interesting, shareable, and memorable. How you describe your narrative and the words you use are really important. Make sure that your audience will remember your story by writing it well.
9. Spread and cultivate your brand's narrative
Your brand's narrative is dynamic. It should change as your brand does because it is a living narrative. Share it frequently on social media, your website, marketing efforts, and other platforms. Develop the story behind your brand to keep it interesting and relevant.
Brand Story Examples
Unthinkable Media
For B2B brands, Unthinkable Media creates unique, story-driven podcasts. Its goal is to produce engaging programs for customers that can hold their interest rather than just grab it.
The Problem: In their quest for attention, the marketers and creators used to chase it relentlessly.
The Twist: Today, with screens galore, endless content, and fierce competition, the audience calls the shots. They pick what they genuinely enjoy, making it harder to win their attention.
The Solution: The game plan has evolved. Now, it's about keeping that attention. They're shifting from chasing impressions and traffic to building a loyal community of subscribers.
Success comes when people spend quality time with a brand, not just fleeting seconds. So, let's not just grab attention — let's hold onto it!
Topicals
Topical's founder didn't see her skin type on TV, which made her feel like her skin wasn't "perfect." So, she started the brand. Here's the story:
The Problem: Lots of skincare brands advertise products to help you get better skin.
The Twist: But these ads usually show just one type of skin, making us think it's the only "perfect" skin.
The Solution: Topical's got your back with science-backed skincare. Plus, they say there's no one "ideal" skin type. Good skin means being comfy in your own skin.
Apple Computer
The brand history of Apple is famous. It centers on innovation, defying convention, and giving people power over their lives through technology. Millions of people all across the world have connected with their brand narrative.
The Problem: Apple wants to set itself apart by being a brand that challenges the norm, celebrates originality, and resonates with like-minded individuals.
The Twist: In the 80s, Apple turned to TV and print ads to spin its tales. One iconic ad, "1984," made its debut during Super Bowl XVIII to promote the Macintosh computer.
The Solution: The ad told a captivating story of rebellion against Big Brother (IBM). It featured a room full of people controlled by Big Brother's speech on censorship until a rebel smashed the screen with a baseball bat, liberating them.
In just a few seconds, Apple stirred powerful emotions. It became a brand for those who dared to be different. Sales of the Mac skyrocketed, making "1984" arguably the greatest Super Bowl commercial ever.
Ivory Soap
The narrative of Ivory Soap is founded in imperfection and simplicity. Over the years, their brand narrative has been the same, highlighting the soft and natural aspects of their products.
The Problem: People struggle with soap sinking into their bathtubs, making their bath experience less enjoyable.
The Twist: Ivory Soap introduced the "It Floats!" tagline and used visual storytelling to make you feel like the hero in your own bathtub tale. They let you imagine the soap battles, putting you in the story.
The Solution: The genius was in its simplicity — just one image and one clear message: Ivory Soap floats. So, they made your bath better, one soap at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the 5 Cs of storytelling?
The 5 Cs of storytelling are Circumstance, Curiosity, Characters, Conversations, and Conflicts. These elements are crucial for creating a compelling narrative that keeps your audience engaged.
What are the 3 rules of storytelling?
The three rules of storytelling are to engage your audience include:
A setup in the beginning.
An argument of your main problem in the middle.
Resolution of the conflict in the end.
What are the 7 functions of storytelling?
The seven functions of storytelling:
Explain origins.
Define individual and group identity.
Communicate tradition and delineate taboo.
Simplify and provide perspective.
Illustrate the natural order of things.
Concisely communicate complex history.
Communicate moral and ethical positions and the transfer and preservation of values.
What are the 5 main elements in the storytelling formula?
The five main elements in the storytelling formula are the setting, characters, plot, conflict, and theme. These elements help structure your narrative and create a compelling story.
What is the golden rule of storytelling?
The golden rule of storytelling is to "show, don't tell." Instead of explicitly stating information, let the audience infer it through the narrative. Show your story through actions, emotions, and experiences.
