Craft a Powerful Brand Story

Brené Brown's TED Talk "The Power of Vulnerability" is an excellent example of how a good story grabs our attention, engages our emotions, and pulls us in.

As I listened to Mrs. Brown, I couldn't help but think about how important it is to tell a good story. Your story is what makes you stand out from everyone else. If you tell it well, it can have a significant impact on your business.

Think about your favorite movies or books. What makes them so captivating? Often, it's the story itself that draws us in. The same is true for brands. If you want to connect with your dream clients and customers, you need to tell your brand's story well. Otherwise, you'll confuse your audience.

Six Essential Components of an Engaging Brand Narrative

1) Purpose: Why does your brand exist?

Take some time to really think about why your brand exists. What is your higher purpose? What do you stand for? Once you have a clear understanding of your purpose, you can start to craft a story that resonates with your audience.

If you don't have a clear purpose, your story will be all over the place and your audience won't be able to connect with you.

2) Vision: What is your brand's vision?

Your vision sets the tone for your story and gives it direction. Without a clear vision, your story will lack purpose and focus.

Think about what you want to achieve with your brand. What kind of world do you want to live in? Your vision should inspire people to take action.

3) Storytelling:  How will you tell your story?

Think about how you will tell your story. Will you use audio, video, music, blogs, social media, or a combination of all three? Whatever platform you choose, make sure your story is authentic, relatable, and engaging.

Every story has six essential components: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, the resolution, and the brand story arc. By understanding these six elements, you can craft a compelling brand narrative that will engage and resonate with your ideal clients.

• Brand Story Arc - A story arc that contains a beginning (the problem), middle (the journey), and end (the transformation). It is a story template that can be used for any type of story. Joseph Campbell's Hero’s Journey, Maureen Murdock's The Heroine's Journey, Dan Roam's Pop-Up Pitch and Donald Miller's Storybrand Framework are effective ways to structure your brand narrative to be relatable and relevant.

• The Characters- Who are the protagonists in your story? Your ideal clients. Therefore, the first step is to understand your ideal client. Who are they? What do they do? What are their challenges? Once you have a good understanding of who your ideal client is, you can begin to craft a story that will resonate with them.

• The Setting- Where does your story take place? Decide on the setting for your story. Where does it take place? Think about a prospective client will come across your brand In their everyday lives as they go about their business. Keep it simple by asking the question "Where do my people hang out online and offline?" Your story should be consistent across all touchpoints. This means that if you use video on your website, make sure the story you tell in the video is consistent with the story you're telling on your blog and social media.

• The Plot- What sequence of events takes place in your story? The plot identifies the problem that your ideal clients are facing. It’s the story of their lives and it’s what they are trying to change. Many people are tolerating lack, limitation, debt, disease, disease and dysfunction. Therefore, you must identify the challenges and tribulations they face on a daily basis that lead them to seek out your services.

• The Conflict- What is causing the problem in your story? What are they seeking to improve or eliminate? The conflict is what is standing in the way of your ideal client achieving their desired outcome. It could be something external like a relationship, job, or finances. Or, it could be something internal like self-doubt or fear. It’s important to note that the conflict doesn’t have to be a big, life-altering event. It can be something as simple as not having enough time or money to live the life they want.

• The Resolution- How does your brand provide the solution? This is where you talk about how your business can help to resolve the conflict for your ideal client. Be specific and offer a solution that will address their needs. The story must end with a satisfied customer who has found relief from their problem thanks to your business.

Now that you know the elements of storytelling, it's time to put them all together and craft a story that will resonate with your ideal client. It could be the difference between making a sale and losing the sale to someone with a similar offer who communicates their value better.

4) Tone of Voice:  How will you speak to your audience?

Think about how you want to speak to your audience. Do you want to be friendly and relatable? Or do you want to be more formal?

Whatever tone you choose, make sure it is consistent with your brand's personality. Your tone of voice should be friendly, relatable, and authentic. This will help you connect with your audience on a personal level.

5) Values:   What are your brand's values?

Think about what values you want your brand to represent. Do you want to be seen as trustworthy? Entertaining? Inspirational? Or innovative? These are just a few examples, but there are many values you could choose from.

Your values will help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. They should be reflected in your story so that your ideal clients can see themselves in your brand.

6) Audience:    Who is your dream client or customer?

Think about who your dream client or customer is. What are their needs? What motivates them? The more you know about your audience, the better you can tailor your story to speak to their needs.

Keep in mind that your client is always the hero of the story, not your brand. You are a guide and/or mentor who can help them overcome their challenges and achieve their desired outcome.

The Power of Story in a Nutshell

A well-told story can have a significant impact on your business. It can help you connect with your audience, build trust, and inspire people to take action.

Your story should be clear, concise, interesting, and relatable. It should address the needs of your audience and provide a solution to their problem. In addition, your story should be believable. If your story is too far-fetched, your audience will not able to relate to it and they will tune out.

By following these six essential components, you can create an engaging brand narrative that will connect you with your dream clients and customers. And help you achieve your vision.

Your turn! What are some of the essential components of your brand's story? Share in the comments below!