Not got time to read? Listen instead with our audio version
Behind every business, there's a history of decisions, people, time, challenges and wins. Every brand has an origin story.
A brand story is all about the 'how' and why', we're hardwired to pay attention to stories.
A study by Headstream showed:
'If people love a brand story, 55% are more likely to buy the product in future, 44% will share the story, and 15% will buy the product immediately.'
We connect to stories more than we connect to products. A story gives your product flavour and makes your brand relatable.
Why is a brand story important?
Your customers want to know who they're buying from. Why should they give you their money? Why should they care specifically about your brand above others? Your brand story fills in these blanks, highlighting your brand's position in the world.
Your brand story is all about how you got to where you are, and what drives you to build a business beyond making money. It bridges the gap between your brand and your customer.
How to tell your brand's story
Telling a brand story is pretty simple, and it follows the most basic plot arc.
The elements of a brand story have three major components:
- Status quo
- Conflict
- Resolution
1) Status quo
This is the current state of affairs, the stage-setter. It's what the world was like before your business came to be.
Applying the status quo: This could be highlighting an aspect of your buyer persona's day-to-day life or routine. Or you're establishing the general state of the market before your brand provided a solution.
2) Conflict
The balance of the status quo is thrown off. This creates a sense of conflict, tension and a need for change. Sometimes, your audience might not be aware there was a problem until you've pointed it out.
Applying conflict: Articulate the pain points or challenges your audience face, as a consequence of these problems.
3) Resolution
This is your brand's cue to swoop in and save the day. Your product fixes the problems caused by the conflict, painting your brand as the hero your audience didn't know they needed.
Applying resolution: Showcase how your brand’s products or services effectively address and solve the identified pain points. Highlight the benefits and positive outcomes of your product your audience will experience if they buy into your brand.
The psychology behind the brand story
Adding a brand story establishes trust. It makes your business more relatable and human.
By creating a sense of conflict, you can problematise a situation that can be fought with the help of your product. It creates a kind of business-customer camaraderie, prompting your customer to buy your product as a way of fixing the problem.
Your brand becomes the knight in shining armour, and your customer's life has improved now they have your product in their life.
A case study in toilet roll
For example - let's take the toilet roll brand Who Gives A Crap.
Their brand story is about creating a business built on sustainable toilet roll, to help tackle the climate crisis. Their brand story comes from a place of environmental concern, as traditional toilet paper is a key player in the climate crisis.
Status quo: Toilet roll is mass produced and is integral to Western society's day-to-day.
The conflict: Mass producing 'traditional' toilet roll involves chopping down millions of trees, meaning it has a direct impact on the climate crisis and deforestation. The environmental crisis and 'traditional toilet paper' contributes directly to deforestation.
The resolution: Who Gives A Crap have created 100% recycled loo roll without chopping down any trees they also make 100% Bamboo loo roll, Bamboo is a quick growing grass so no trees needed. The company have supplied the eco-friendly solution, and their customers have helped the crisis by opting for more sustainable toilet roll. Both business and customer become part of the solution system.
Why this works
Who Gives A Crap have highlighted a mutual problem and which affects both the business and their customers: The climate crisis. As a company with a planet-conscious ethos, they soothe customer concerns by offering a sustainable alternative.
Suddenly, Who Gives A Crap become so much more than just another company to buy loo roll from - they become an ally, a tool to help customers feel they are doing their bit to tackle deforestation.
Not only does this story telling technique work in tackling the problem, but it also deters customers from buying into other 'traditional' toilet roll brands.
Here, the company and their customers have effectively 'teamed up' and fight deforestation together.
Brand storytelling tips
Not sure where to start? Here's a few tips and prompting questions:
- Mission and purpose: What's your brand's purpose beyond making money?
- Values: What principles guide your brand's actions and decisions?
- Brand tone of voice: Telling your brand story is a perfect time to show your brand's tone of voice. Is your brand humorous? Caring and sympathetic?
- Get to the right pain points: What frustrates your customer? What do they wish was easier? Once you know this, you can explain how your brand relieves these pains. This will help build a deeper business-customer connection
- Be relatable: Ensure your audience can see themselves in the story
- Emotion: Engage your audience’s emotions to create a memorable and impactful story
- Keep it simple: Clearly articulate the status quo, conflict, and resolution without overcomplicating the narrative. If there are other elements of your brand story you want to communicate, there are other touch points you can use to communicate these parts of your story
Your brand story is everywhere
You are so much more than 500 words. Your brand story isn't just your 'About' page, so you don't have to cram everything on there.
Get the key storytelling elements across alongside your brand voice, but you don't need to explain what the weather was like the day you made your first sale.
In fact, it's better to leave some room for curiosity.
You can still convey your story using more in-depth marketing platforms. Blogs, short-form video content, or LinkedIn posts can all convey your brand story.
Maintain a consistent message across all brand touch points to reinforce your story. It's not a one-time thing, it's continuous.
So, what's your story?
Want to tell your brand story that goes way beyond the words 'honest' and 'integrity?'
We're pretty good at storytelling, and we're not fans of corporate jargon either. We'll tell your story in a way that communicates your brand voice to a tee.
Method can tell your brand story in a way that will connect directly to your buyer persona and create meaningful relationships. Getting the storytelling right will attract the right audiences for your business.
So, get in touch today - we love a good story.
