For many companies, the “About Us” page on a website is the extent of their efforts to create a brand story. But a brand story can be so much more if you use effective strategies to craft and promote it. A brand story typically shows the customer the company’s history, from humble beginnings to most recent successes. It gives insight into the company’s mission and values but also has narrative elements that help those values connect.
So how do you write a good brand story? Try one of these three approaches:
Write your story around one person’s perspective. Not every brand story is unique, but every entrepreneur is. If you tell your founder’s story and what inspired them to start the company, you’ll have a story like no other.
Another twist on this approach is to tell your brand story from the perspective of one customer or person your company helped. Specifically, explain what your company did and the results you produced. But always remember, people enjoy reading stories about people so focus on those affected by your company’s good work.
Tell the story of how your company helps the community. Most companies give back to their communities. It could be through a cause near and dear to the founder. Don’t be afraid to tell this story. It has to be genuine, but if helping others is an important part of your organization’s DNA you should share it.
TOMS shoe company is one of the best examples of this type of brand story. For every pair of shoes purchased, another one is given to someone in need. This incentivizes customers to purchase because they’re not just buying the shoes for themselves, they’re buying shoes for others because they like the TOMS brand story.
Create the story around your products, not the brand itself. One unique method some companies use to connect with their audiences is to use one of their main products to tell the company story. For example, the Geocaching brand talks about how their app changes users’ lives as they travel and discover new things. The storyline follows the caches and shows why the company is unique. Sometimes the product’s development can be the beginning of telling your brand story.
The story behind your company is just as important as the products you sell and the services you provide. A good brand story can sell, but you need to create one that stands out.
