Gather around dear readers, and let us tell you a story.
Once upon a time, there was a bright young woman named Melodie. Having a big party to go to at the weekend, Melodie treated herself to a nice new lipstick that matched her dress and brought out the blue in her eyes. But when she unwrapped the lipstick, she found that instead of admiring the gorgeous shade she’d selected, her attention was drawn to the pile of packaging left behind. It took both of her hands to gather it all up, and as it lay at the bottom of the bin, she realised some of that plastic wrapping would still probably be hanging around in landfill long after she was gone.
She realised she had to do something. Something to reduce the huge amount of waste the beauty industry created, and create a sustainable alternative for women who wanted to save the world and feel gorgeous doing it.
How did you feel after reading that? Invested? Inspired? Curious? Whatever it is, we’re willing to bet you’re feeling something. That’s the power of brand storytelling, summed up in a single paragraph. The ability to take the about page of a business and turn it into a narrative that captures customer attention and draws them in. And despite the fact that brand storytelling is still pretty new on the scene, there’s no denying that it’s the future of marketing for businesses great and small.
(Incidentally, that story was absolutely true – it’s the founding moment of Elate Beauty, a sustainable and eco-friendly beauty brand that we just adore!)
What is Brand Storytelling?
Brand storytelling really is exactly what it says on the tin – it’s telling your brand story. Talking about your business, your mission, the how’s and the whys, in a way that’s compelling and engaging for your audience. This can take on lots of different forms, but generally it’s all about taking that traditional story narrative and applying it to your business marketing. There are a number of different storytelling elements you can utilise in brand storytelling, like characters (create an avatar or a fake customer), setting, conflict and resolutions (using your products), all of which can help draw out new messages and create that all-important connection. We talk more about how that works and exactly what that looks like in this blog.
How does storytelling help you to connect to an audience?
Storytelling in marketing helps to connect to an audience by providing a narrative that enables people to relate to the message being communicated. Stories are powerful tools that can evoke emotions, such as empathy, joy, and inspiration.
They can also be used to create a connection between the audience and the brand, allowing them to better understand the brand’s values and mission. Storytelling can also help to create an emotional bond between the audience and the product or service being marketed.
This helps to increase brand loyalty and trust, as well as provide a platform to engage customers and build relationships.
Why is brand storytelling important?
Brand storytelling is important because it allows companies to create an emotional connection with their customers. It humanises the brand and creates a narrative that resonates with customers on a deeper level. Brand storytelling also helps to differentiate a company from its competitors and create a unique identity. Lastly, it helps to establish trust and loyalty between the customer and the brand.
Why storytelling is important in content?
Storytelling is an important part of content because it allows the reader to connect with the content on a more personal level.
Stories are powerful tools that create an emotional connection between the reader and the content. They provide context, meaning, and emotion that can help engage the reader and make the content more memorable.
Storytelling also helps to build trust and loyalty between the reader and the brand, making it easier for them to take action. It helps to make complex topics more accessible and easier to understand, and makes the content more engaging and enjoyable.
What are the benefits of storytelling in marketing?
Storytelling helps to create an emotional connection between the brand, the product, and the customer. It helps to create an emotional bond between the customer and the product or brand.
Storytelling helps to keep the customer engaged, as it provides a narrative that is easy to follow. This helps to keep the customer’s attention and makes them more likely to remember the brand or product.
Storytelling helps to build trust and credibility for the brand or product. It helps to demonstrate the values and beliefs of the company and allows customers to get to know the brand better.
Storytelling helps to engage the customer and encourages them to interact with the brand or product. This helps to create a more positive relationship between the customer and the brand.
Storytelling also helps to increase conversions, as customers are more likely to make a purchase when they feel emotionally connected to the brand or product.
Does Your Brand Have a Story?
Yes! A story isn’t something that only some businesses have – even the most basic business, the youngest business on the block has a story to tell. The only difference between you and the brands out there telling their stories is that you don’t know how to find or share your story yet. That’s totally normal, and it’s part of our mission to help you find not only your voice and your ROAR, but the story that goes along with it as well.
If you’re not sure what your brand’s story is, here are 8 basic questions for you to answer. The answers you give will help you see the basis of your story, and as you go you will be able to flesh it out more and more.
- Why does your business exist? What’s your purpose, and why was it founded?
- What’s the company history?
- Who are the main characters in your business?
- What antagonist are you working against?
- What’s your corporate mission? What is it you’re trying to achieve?
- How have you failed, and what have you learned?
- Where are your gaps?
- What are your plans for the future?
The good thing is that list is great for generating copy for the ‘About Us’ page on your website as well!
Can you spot the theme in those questions though? Not a single one of them asked about the products or services you offer. That’s because brand storytelling really isn’t about the details of what you sell. Good brand storytelling goes beyond a brand’s products and services, instead of focussing on creating a sales pitch, your focus should be on creating something that your audience really wants to be a part of, and that shows them why your business is a good fit for them and their beliefs.
Does Anyone Want to Know?
Again, yes! When we start working with clients on brand voice this is the most common question we get, and we understand why. You might not think anyone else is interested in the story behind your brand, but we can assure you, they are! And if you don’t believe us, we have stats to back it up. According to research done by The Drum, 80% of people want brands to tell stories, with 53% of people stating they would be perfectly happy to read or view a brand-sponsored story, with 30% saying they would even though they prefer unsponsored stories. Those numbers are staggering when it comes to engagement!
And not only that, but if people really love your brand story, 55% of people are more likely to buy your product or service in the future, 44% would share it online and 15% would buy from you right away. There really aren’t many marketing methods that have that kind of impact on customers, which is why so many businesses are investing heavily in brand storytelling. Part of the reason for this is because the human brain is hard-wired for stories, and so it responds more to marketing in the form of stories. We talk more about that here.
Bottom line? Brand storytelling is the future of marketing, so if you want to get out ahead of the curve, you’d best start now. Nowadays a successful marketing strategy includes brand storytelling as standard, and it will be woven into every method, channel, and message your business puts out. If you’re not sure how to do that, then we highly recommend you bring in someone else to help.
At Lion Spirit Media, we’re suckers for a good story, and there’s nothing we love more than helping you find yours and share it with the world. With our help, you can harness the most powerful marketing tool of all, and make sure your ROAR is heard all through the concrete jungle of the business world. To find out more, just get in touch to book your free consultation today.
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