Once upon a time…
Those magic words immediately pique your interest and alert you a story is about to follow. Humans thrive on story. In every culture and in every place in the world, human history has been translated from person-to-person, one generation to the next, through storytelling. Beginning with drawings on cave dwelling walls and hieroglyphs to a more modern scroll of technological social media feeds, story is how we communicate who we are and how we feel to each other.
Your brand is no different. Your brand is simply your business’ story conveyed to the world through how you tell it. The power to guide your brand is in your hands and it is up to you to tell it so that people understand who you are and how you feel. Through a distinct and crafted brand translation, you can build your following and draw in the customers you came to reach with the solutions your business has to offer. Through your story, you can help the community of people you came to help.
But how do you effectively sell your brand to potential customers? How do you tell your story?
A few first steps must be in place before you can expect customers to believe in you and accept your story as something that sets you apart.
- Know your identity. You can’t expect anyone to trust you if you don’t know who you are as a company. Take the time to do the work. Identify who your company is and who you want to be. Check out these 12 business archetypes and learn the role your business will play.
- Know your customer. Before you can solve your customers’ problem, you first need to understand their problem. How do they feel? How do you want them to feel? Try tactics like surveys and focus groups to learn directly from your customers what they need.
Now you’re ready to tell your story. Building from a base of self awareness and a connection to your customer, you can use your brand to create an emotional connection to your customer. Let your story resonate and reach your customers’ pain and needs. Guide your customers to a solution.
Translating Your Brand
When telling your story it is important to keep these points top of mind. Your brand is a living thing. Every decision you make, both in your business and in your life, should speak to your brand and move your story forward in a cohesive and contemplative narrative.
- Be Passionate. Tell your own story openly and vulnerably. The values and way you run your business should reflect in your employees and customers. This will resonate with the community at large and connect your brand with the feel you want to share.
- Be Authentic. Your story is much easier to tell, much easier to live, when it comes from a place of authenticity. Our human ability to sniff out an untruth is inherent in everyone. Name your values and bring them to mind at every business decision to remain true to them and it will show throughout your brand.
- Be Consistent. Like authenticity, consistency is key. Matching your brand across all ways your business shows up in your community, in your life, in the lives of your team, and in the lives of your customers is key to bolstering your brand’s authenticity.
- Differentiate. Set yourself apart from competitors and other businesses with your differentiator. Like every person, every business is unique. Learn what makes you unique and lift it up as your differentiator.
- Inspire. Take your story beyond your own business and let it resonate with your customers. Empower them to share what they love about you and allow them space to share in your success. When you are open and willing, authentic and consistent, and build trust and rapport with your customers, they want to be part of the special thing you’ve created. Let them. After all, you came here to make a connection.
The team at Spire specializes in helping businesses learn how to translate their brands into compelling content marketing. Connect with our team today to learn about how to tell a better story about your business.