People love stories. We are hardwired to love them as scientists believe they release feel-good chemicals such as dopamine in the brain. Stories are a great way to educate and sell to your audience while connecting with them on a human level. These stories are great for social media posts, brochures, pitch decks, menus, signage, and on your website.
When using a story to build your brand, the goal should be to use it to highlight your business positively. That could be through showcasing your client’s before and after transformation, it could showcase your business’s values or what makes you different. These types of stories are called “Hero Stories” because you are the hero of the story.
Another great story to use when building your brand is a good origin story. It should showcase your uniqueness and the core reason for your business also known as “the why”. Some examples are that maybe you needed something and it didn’t exist so you developed it or maybe you have a classic “rags to riches” story. Whatever it is, use it to showcase what makes your business stand out.
Now the connection part comes when you tell a good story. Make sure you’re “showing not telling.” Here’s an example for you. “The only things to eat in the entire apartment were an expired package of top ramen and half a gummy bear” vs “They had nothing to eat”. People see themselves in a good story. Maybe once upon a time that was you in the bare apartment or maybe it’s where you’re at now and this story is showing you what’s possible. When you see yourself in a story you subconsciously go “Oh! They get it.”
People want to be understood. When you can show off authenticity, transparency, and expertise you’re a lot more likely to have clients identify with you. They will eventually follow you and buy from you because they feel like they know, like, and trust you. All of these stories and the way you tell them come from your brand foundation, which works like a bank account. Put experiences and care into creating it and you can pull out things, like a great story, as needed. Mix a great story with a great brand foundation to support it and watch things start to shift.