Make Your Brand Stand Out by Using Storytelling Strategies
A lot of things can happen in a minute, especially on the internet. Recent statistics on internet minutes show that there are about 16 million texts sent, 1.7 million content shared on Facebook, and 347.200 tweets shared in just one minute. Seeing this, it’s only normal if you’re asking yourself, “How do I get found amid the sea of content out there?”.
Well, one of the tried-and-true strategies you can try to make your brand stand out is by using storytelling. In case you didn't know already, a great story does so much more than just sell products to customers. Significantly when startups and businesses are growing each year exponentially, with small businesses making up 90% of companies worldwide.
If you want to capture attention, increase your brand’s awareness, and attract the right audience, buckle up because this article is intended to help you achieve those.
Table of Contents 1. What is brand storytelling? 2. Why is brand storytelling important? |
What is brand storytelling?
Have you ever felt so connected to a brand that aligns with your identity to the point that you keep coming back to them again and again? That is the impact of great storytelling.
Brand storytelling refers to using narrative techniques to connect your brand to customers on an emotional level. Highly focusing on narratives, good brand stories feature a series of authentic, relevant, and repeatable storytelling that is combined with data and creativity.
Why is brand storytelling important?
People are drawn to stories. They’re engraved in our DNA since narratives are essential to every society. Whether they’re young, or old, no matter where they’re from, everybody loves a good story, especially when they can see themselves in the story.
To add to that, today’s customers are driven by personal connections and what is relevant to them. So, it’s obvious that only “selling” is not enough. You need stories to tell; this is where brand storytelling steps in.
Great brand storytelling can help make communications sound better, therefore perform better. Developing a successful brand story can also help you attract the right people, increase brand awareness, and humanize your brand.
What are some examples of amazing brand stories?
We have pointed out some features that define a good brand story, and now we’ll also share a couple of our favorite examples of amazing brand stories.
But before we see examples of how powerful stories can be, in taking a closer look at these brands’ storytelling, we discovered that when brand storytelling is going well it’s mainly because the stories have something to say, offer more than just products or services, and foster communities.
Let’s take Nike for example. People don’t love this athletic apparel company just because their products are cool to look at. People love Nike because of what the brand stands for and also the emotions they trigger. We can bet that at least once, you’ve been moved by a Nike campaign you’ve seen somewhere, and that’s because storytelling has always been at the heart of this sports brand, and the narrative that they have always been successful at portraying is of a hero who is overcoming hardships.
Another great example of brand storytelling is Spotify Wrapped, a marketing campaign released annually by Spotify to let users view a compilation of their listening activity throughout the year. And this data is presented uniquely to each user with some of your top songs playing in the background. Through this annual campaign, this digital music streaming service has reimagined the way we listen to and interact with music. “What makes Spotify Wrapped successful?” you may ask. It’s the fact that the campaign gets people talking and gives people something to look forward to.
How do you create good brand stories?
Now that you know more about the importance of brand storytelling, you may be wondering how should you apply this marketing strategy to your business. Here’s how:
Know your audience
To tell brand stories that resonate with your audience, the first and most important thing to do is to know your audience. Start basic by identifying the demographics—age, gender identification, location, occupation, and income. Then ask yourself: what are they looking for from you? Do they want stories that educate, and motivate? Once you’ve figured out who your audience is, you can tailor your brand story and content to speak to them and maximize the conversion rates.
Create a strong and memorable brand identity
Once you have already had a view of what you want to create and who you want to sell to, it’s important to ensure that your brand has a strong and memorable brand identity that communicates who you are. This includes logos, visual design elements, packaging, as well as your brand’s tone of voice. Define what sets you apart from your competitors and create stories that revolve around that identity.
Be authentic with your stories
Telling your brand story is not just about marketing your products. It’s more about being authentic because the essence of storytelling lies in the vulnerability of the storytellers. And this authenticity actually applies to all sorts of messaging you deliver, be it in the form of newsletters, offline collaterals, or even Instagram Reels.
Statistics show that 86% of consumers say that authenticity plays an important role in deciding which brands to support and engage with. To put it simply, your audience wants to know that your brand is real. And what’s the best way to show realness than by using the storytelling strategy? Because the right story, told the right way, shows the audience your unique qualities.
Sell your story, not your products
There are many ways you can use storytelling to make your brand stand out. But one of the most popular brand storytelling strategies that many brands have started utilizing is employee-focused brand storytelling, where brands are highlighting the real people—from founders to employees—behind the brand. This way, brands are not only seen as businesses that are hiding behind their logos.