The difference between being a common, everyday “marketer” and a person Interested in getting a brand massage across in a fashion that is effective and has recall is good storytelling.
Sometimes the stories are true. Sometimes they are created. but they are never insincere. You can’t pay someone to pretend to have a story because it doesn’t work. It must be real.
Stories need to influence, inspire and transform people, whether told through words or a visual medium. It’s the most powerful form of communication and you can change someone’s behaviour by telling than a story.
Why do you suppose people are more interested in product reviews? Those are the real stories that sell the product. It’s not a brand that some searchers are looking for, but a solution or story.
To get there, of course, we study the brand, the market and who we care about reading our story, but we also have to remember for the story to work, it still needs a path. It needs to take us on a journey. We need to feel it.
Beginnings: Where did we come from?
Reason: Why are we doing what we’re doing?
Vision: Where we are headed.
Learning: Bring the consumer up to speed on your product or industry.
Morals: Say what you’re doing and do what you’re saying.
Every brand has a story somewhere, you just need to find it. Keep it simple, repeatable and memorable. Authentic stories can succeed whereas insincere stories will fall.
Then, after you have crafted your story, if you are not already living it, be sure to integrate your story into the company and future advertising. Amplify It with everything you do: from your press releases to your employee. Be sure everyone understands your brand story and how they can play a part in making it real.
Once you have a story, remember to keep looking back at it Does it keep up with the times? Is it still current? Does your story need a little “freshening up” to keep it topical and alive? Maybe a small rewrite” is called for.
However, always leave some part of the story to the Imagination. Remember: engage. inform, retain, create, grow, be authentic and invite involvement.
In today’s world, where social media gets bigger every day and continuously exceeds traditional marketing. it is stories that are making impressions and making memorable brands.
Crafting a brand story isn’t really that different from writing a good screenplay or novel.
Assume everyone has attention deficit disorder, particularly in today’s fast-pace give-it-to-me-now world.
Spend most of your time on the first five seconds.
Write economically.
Make sure every character has a unique voice. The people in your story should be characters that are unique from one another.
Understand your audience.
Know your three-act structure. This Is straight from screen writing, but no matter the length of your piece, if it is a story, it needs a beginning. middle and end.
Create a story that leaves your audience wanting more. Create a sense of wanting to see the story continue. Even wishing your characters (brand) well for the future so more stories will come.
These brand stories won’t be developed by tomorrow. You don’t hire a writer today and expect a good, compelling story in a week. It takes skill, a ton of research and, above all, understanding to truly create a story for your brand or your client’s brand,
What’s your brand’s story?