Building a strong brand story: Chapter 1

Why is a strong brand story important?
Think of your brand story as the individual chapters of a book which, altogether, make for a captivating and unforgettable read. Each chapter is a part of the whole, telling the audience who you are, your values, and why people should engage with you as a business. The story is your identity and, while we all claim we don’t judge a book by its cover, we do, so you want to make sure yours is picked up first off the shelf. 

Human beings love a story, we’ve been sharing them for as long as we’ve been on this planet. People adore being taken on a journey, swept up in the narrative, lost in the characters, and made to feel part of the experience. That’s how you want your target audience to feel about your business - invested in the outcome and coming back time and time again for a story that captures their heart.

While this may not seem important, after all, it’s your products and services that count, right? A strong brand story is vital to success for several reasons.

Making yourself heard
Firstly, a strong brand story positions you as a key player in your industry. It helps to cut through all the noise and ensure the important stakeholders in your sector are talking about you. This is because you have a clear, consistent, impactful and memorable message that makes people stand up and take notice, that doesn’t get lost among the content from your competitors, and which shows the industry that you take your business and, therefore, your clients, seriously.

Building a connection with your audience is crucial if they are to put their faith in you and purchase your products or services. The most effective way to do this is to evoke the audience’s emotions and a strong brand story is capable of doing just that. In a world in which so much of what we see can be fake, distorted and manipulated, clients are looking for authenticity, for genuine connections with the heart and soul of a business. So, stay true to who you are, let your personality shine through, and give your audience a reason to come to you.

The personal touch
A positive reputation for your business isn’t something which just appears, it’s something you work on, and a strong brand story can support to build this. It helps the public to feel like they know you and creates a sense of trust. Knowing what motivates you, through being transparent and honest, is a fundamental element in fostering this unguarded dynamic which, in-turn, encourages positive interaction with your products or services.

A strong brand story also has the power to humanise your business, a benefit which cannot be overlooked in today’s digital age where what is real isn’t always clear and human connection is overlooked in favour of clicks and gimmicks. People connect with people, it’s what we all crave most of all, and giving your audience the chance to relate, to empathise, to laugh, to feel inspired, or the many myriad of personal connections in-between, can be a powerful motivator in driving business. 

The power of the media
Finally, just as a good book is beholden to the whims of a reviewer, a business can be beholden to the attention it receives from media. A strong brand story will raise your profile with the media in your industry. Their coverage, just like the reviewer’s positive recommendation, can give your audience the confidence to take a chance on a new book from an author who is up-and-coming.

So, to sum up, be an open book with your audience and let them share in your story – you will find them to be loyal readers if you do so.

And don’t forget to keep an eye out for chapter 2…‘How a strong brand story increases enquiries and builds your sales pipeline’ – coming soon!