5 Tips on How to Tell Your Brand Story

Photo by Ksenia Makagonova, from Unsplash.

As a storytelling strategist, I’ve become aware of the resurgence of a storytelling movement, but there’s a lot of confusion about what a story really is.

Digital marketers are hiding behind the title of “storyteller” to put out more of the same superficial sales content we’ve been trying to avoid for the last pandemic year. It’s no wonder we’re exhausted and why businesses are struggling.

We’re tired of being sold to.

A story is “an account of past events in someone's life or in the evolution of something.” Stories ultimately help us relate to our world and we see ourselves reflected in them. That something is your business mission and your personal history can integrate seamlessly into business conversations as you share how you can transform lives.

I’m here to say you don’t have to be a gifted writer or speaker to share your brand story, but you don’t need to sound smarmy in your sales pitch, either. Read more to understand the key elements to help you share more poignant content on social media or to pitch yourself to a prospect.

Find the Hook

Your personal story humanizes an otherwise boring brand. Yet, most people make the mistake of introducing their job title before their mission. It’s an instant setup for judgment, and it might not be the way you want to be perceived.

When I get lazy and tell people I’m a photographer (which is only one aspect of my mission), they instantly connect me to weddings. No thanks. Within the first 30 seconds, I’ve already lost a strong first impression to introduce my mission: to create powerful stories to influence change.

You’re so much more than a job title. You are transforming lives. What are you ultimately here for? Why does it matter? That’s the headline to your brand story.

Avoid Clichés

The overuse of hackneyed phrases are why we’re all tired of advertising and marketing. That and posting an model-wannabe photo with #vibes in the caption. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!

How quickly our beautiful language morphs into advertising vomit. Here’s a great example: “Financing that won’t break the bank.” If it weren’t breaking my bank, I wouldn’t need financing, yes?

I’m guilty of using all of them.

Sharing what and why you do authentically, without copycatting the crowd, keeps your prospects engaged in the conversation. Language trends are one thing, but over time and with overuse you sound unoriginal and prospects quickly skip over your words. #beentheredonethat

Learn more about when/when not to use cliches in writing and sales conversations.

Speak to Your Audience’s Pain

I cringe over the phrase “emotion sells”. (See? Another overused phrase.) But it really does.

Ask thoughtful questions and help your audience understand why they should trust you. What’s going on in their lives that’s bigger than what you’re offering? How do they know you're not another empty promise?

I know my clients hate getting their photos taken. I assure them that if I can photograph nude models who trusted me completely — to the point of unabashedly dancing at the end of their sessions — your fully-clothed headshot will be a piece of cake. Let them know you’re a safe space.

We’re promised every guarantee and warranty out there, but rarely do those promises hold true. No wonder companies have bred a culture of mistrust.

Cut the narcissism

When pitching your business, it’s easy to focus on yourself. After all, aren’t you ultimately selling your service or product? Yes and no. In the end, it’s really not about you.

Avoid over-using "we”, “I” and “me”. Rewrite your content focusing on the words “you” and “your/s” and see what a difference it makes.

The sentiment is the same, but the presentation is nuanced. It’s talking about yourself without really talking about yourself and integrating personal, but relatable tidbits into your business narrative.

What’s in it for your customers? How are you casting the vision for a better life for them? If you don’t know, you need to spend more time understanding what it’s like to be them or hire a brand story expert to uncover the story that actually brings in business.

Support the Story

You’ve found the hook, you’ve related to your audience,…now what? What’s the richer story to support your headline?

When you’re vulnerable, you become real. We love heroes but even Superman had a tortured love life and was rendered weak by kryptonite. By sharing something real about yourself in a raw but encouraging manner, your relatability increases. Someone else out there says, “Wow, someone else finally understands me.”

During the formalities of business conversations, I still tell prospects that I learned the power a story has to influence change through my health journey. Nearly bleeding to death was an awakening. Sharing my chronic illness journey encouraged my friends to change their health habits and stop accepting the dismissive words of undereducated doctors as a life sentence. And I had no stake in the game, no kickback. So imagine what I can do with a story when it really does count.

If you found this article helpful, I encourage you learn more about brand storytelling services and how you can influence change with your own story.