When you are building a small business, you will probably spend a good amount of time thinking about your brand archetype, target audience, and unique selling proposition. Another element to consider is your brand story: the series of events that sparked your brand’s inception, and which still drive your mission today. In this blog, we’ll help you write a brand story that encourages your customers to actively root for—and be a part of—your success.
What is a Brand Story?
If you think about your favorite characters from books, TV shows, and movies, they all probably have something in common: a compelling backstory. We are all programmed to root for characters who have overcome a challenge, or who have solved a problem that we also have. To sum it all up, a brand story is the story of the obstacles you faced and overcame in order to be where you are today.
The most engaging brand stories are:
- Authentic
- Simple
- Structured like a story
- True to your brand’s personality
If you can craft a compelling brand story, your audience will remember who you are, develop empathy for you, and ultimately, care about your success.
How to Write a Brand Story
Step 1: Identify a central conflict
The best stories, and the best brand stories, are oriented around a central conflict. People want to know that you have overcome adversity, or have at least experienced some kind of emotional journey. Without any conflict or drama, your story is unlikely to hold audience attention, much less resonate and inspire action.
So, with all that said, don’t shy away from revealing any conflict or adversity you’ve faced. A blemish-free origin story isn’t just unrealistic; it’s also unrelatable and, well, boring. The more honest you are about your shortcomings, the more people will respect you and relate to your brand.
Step 2: Remember your brand personality
Customers tend to gravitate towards brands that have a human-like personality. This personality or persona is primarily composed of your brand voice—the words and vernacular with which you communicate—and, to a lesser extent, your behaviors. For example, a high-profile law firm would probably not make silly comments on Tik Tok videos, but it’s very common for brands like Taco Bell to do so, because they have adopted a fun-loving, carefree personality.
When you are preparing to write your brand story, remember the personality and voice that you want to use. Think of the characteristics which you’d like to embody, from caring and kind, to powerful and intelligent, or funny and laid-back. Using this voice in your brand story will help ensure consistency in your messaging, and also convey authenticity.
Step 3: Build your narrative
This where the real “writing” part of the process begins. If you just don’t know where to begin, start with an outline. The outline should loosely state:
- Where you started
- What prompted you to take action
- How your brand contributes towards your vision
- How audience members can join you in your mission
Below are more tips to assist you as you write.
Be authentic. Telling your story is a powerful tool, but make sure that you can stand behind it. People tend to recognize when others are overselling themselves, or fabricating details. For the best customer relationship, be honest from the very start.
Keep it succinct. Most people don’t have the time or interest to read 1,000 words on some brand they’ve never heard of. So, try to keep your story digestible—a few paragraphs at the very most. This can be difficult to do, especially if you’re not experienced in writing for small spaces. One useful strategy is to write everything you’d like to say, then slowly trim off the fat, one sentence at a time.
Build an emotional connection. The best brand stories are able to connect with audiences around a shared worldview. By honing in on shared ideals and values, and incorporating them into your story, you can form an association between your brand and the ideals which you and your customers stand for.
Use AI tools sparingly. Though it’s easy to simply ask an AI to spit out a brand story for you, the result probably won’t be as authentic and genuine as something you create yourself. Considering the importance of your brand story to your overall business success, we recommend only turning to AI if you really don’t know how to get started.
Once you have finished your first draft, polish your story with a thorough editing process. Review it carefully for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Read your story out loud to yourself. Step away from it, and return with fresh eyes. Seek feedback from others. As others, and yourself: Where is the story compelling? Where are you bored? What can be improved?
Sharing Your Brand Story
Once your brand story is complete, don’t let it gather dust. Search for the best ways to share it with audiences. This might mean posting a series of videos on YouTube, creating posts for social media, publishing articles and interviews with relevant publications, and more.
Don’t forget to tell a version of your brand’s story on your relevant channels, too. If you have a website, display your story on your Home or About page. If your company has physical stores, make sure it is visible to customers when they enter. It could even feature on an introductory slide to a sales pitch presentation, showing potential investors why they should support and believe in you.
Brand story development doesn’t end with publication. Part of a brand story is a brand’s continued engagement with customers. After you post your story, invest time in the following:
- Engaging with customers by responding to user comments.
- Encouraging customers to share your story.
- Tracking social media metrics to see which versions of your story get the most attention.
- Analyzing your metrics and using these insights to adapt and improve your story in the future.
Conclusion
Many consumers view their purchases, and the brands they support, as extensions of their identities and values. They want to feel like they are part of a community which shares certain ideals, a group that they can figuratively march with towards a better future. That’s why it’s so important to define, articulate, and hone your brand story. As long as you can stick to that story, you can differentiate your brand, establish an emotional connection with your target audience, and build a base of loyal, returning customers.