Use Storytelling to Create a Brand They Can’t Live Without

Whether huddled around a campfire, listening to ghost stories that chill us, or drifting off to sleep while imagining the look on Goldilocks’ face when she tastes that “just right” porridge, many of our earliest childhood memories center around storytelling.

It’s hard to pin down when we began telling stories, but many experts believe storytelling predates written language. Storytelling is what defines us as a society; it’s how we pass along what’s essential from one group to another.

So it’s little surprise that content marketing has found such success using storytelling to create memorable brands people can’t live without.

Take Apple, for example. From its earliest days as a struggling startup in a garage to its current industry dominance position, Apple has always had a great story to accompany its products. Storytelling makes Apple human, and it’s that human element that resonates.

So how do you use storytelling to create a brand they can’t live without?

Successful Storytelling Means Being Authentic

When it comes to brand storytelling, authenticity is critical. While the actual story itself has a little wiggle room, that story won’t resonate if it isn’t authentically rooted in your product and industry.

Consumers can tell if you aren’t telling them the truth. Never risk lying to your audience for the sake of a good story.

A Way of Life

Brand storytelling is more than just a marketing angle; it’s a living thing. Successful storytelling requires you to follow your brand into the mix.

Jeep does this beautifully. Their #MyJeepStory campaign, launched in 2016 to celebrate their 75th anniversary, is rooted in customer experience – and it’s still resonating with audiences. Social media is filled with personal stories from customers describing their own experiences with the brand.

Jeep’s story is an authentic way of life that rings true with their ideal customer. And their audiences want in on that story.

Define Your Core Values

Who you are is as important as what you do. This is especially true when it comes to millennial consumers, the second largest demographic with disposable income. If your brand supports a certain mindset or cause, include it in your storytelling.

Do you support local initiatives? Environmental? Political? Remember, what is essential to you and your brand will also be essential to consumers who share your values.

Embrace them by building a storyline around those activities. An article detailing your recent food bank donations will appeal to those who focus on community service and seek out community service-oriented brands to support.

Be Who You Are

When was the last time you read a brand’s mission statement of “providing top-level customer support” and thought, “Wow! I need these people!” Never, right? You’re not alone. Generalized statements focusing on generic services are boring. No one will remember your company if you’re saying the same thing as everybody else.

But what if a business said, “We hate being on hold, so we won’t put you on hold! We’ll call you back!” You’d remember that, wouldn’t you? Because you immediately identify with someone who says, “We hate being on hold.”

And that connection comes only when you let your personality shine through.

If you’re stuck coming up with aspects of your personality to emphasize, begin by thinking back to what first attracted you to your industry/ brand/ product. Did you have a “lightbulb” moment? Talk about it. You’ll have the best part of your brand to bring into the spotlight when you can answer the question: Why do you do what you do?

Storytelling for brand-building takes a little creativity. Crafting compelling stories to engage customers takes practice and time, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed at the results.

The right storytelling will resonate with your ideal audience. And you’ll find their engagement increases as they are drawn deeper into your brand’s story. They’ll root for you just as they would the hero in their favorite novel because they’re investing in who you are and what you represent.

Every brand has a story worth telling. What’s yours?

Freedom A.

Freedom is an award-winning writer and marketer. In her current role as a B2B digital marketing specialist. Her writing has appeared in global publications including The Independent (UK), Huffington Post (USA), The Telegraph (UK), The Chicago Sun-Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Jerusalem Post, and more.